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Synonym Chooser

How is the word fruitful distinct from other similar adjectives?

Some common synonyms of fruitful are fecund, fertile, and prolific. While all these words mean "producing or capable of producing offspring or fruit," fruitful adds to fertile and fecund the implication of desirable or useful results.

fruitful research

When is fecund a more appropriate choice than fruitful?

The words fecund and fruitful can be used in similar contexts, but fecund emphasizes abundance or rapidity in bearing fruit or offspring.

a fecund herd

In what contexts can fertile take the place of fruitful?

In some situations, the words fertile and fruitful are roughly equivalent. However, fertile implies the power to reproduce in kind or to assist in reproduction and growth; applied figuratively, it suggests readiness of invention and development.

fertile soil
a fertile imagination

When would prolific be a good substitute for fruitful?

The meanings of prolific and fruitful largely overlap; however, prolific stresses rapidity of spreading or multiplying by or as if by natural reproduction.

a prolific writer

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of fruitful Starkey is the son of Beatles drummer Ringo Starr and Maureen Starkey, and has also enjoyed a fruitful career outside of The Who, playing with Oasis, Johnny Marr, Paul Weller and Graham Coxon. Sophie Williams, Billboard, 16 Apr. 2025 Last year, there were 52, according to Fortune. Buffett’s bet on Graham and the newspaper proved fruitful. Tom Huddleston Jr., CNBC, 13 May 2025 The extra-long dress turned out to be the most fruitful look ever in meme-terms, inspiring some very funny Internet reactions. Vogue, 6 May 2025 This approach immediately proved fruitful — on day one, Lee and Platts knocked out the instrumentals for three tracks that made it onto Pleasure, including the first two singles. Elias Leight, Billboard, 1 May 2025 See All Example Sentences for fruitful
Recent Examples of Synonyms for fruitful
Adjective
  • The result is a book that covers plenty of fertile ground.
    Heller McAlpin, Christian Science Monitor, 3 June 2025
  • Marvel is a fertile breeding ground for indie filmmakers who seek to make the leap to bigger budgets and studio franchise films.
    Seth Abramovitch, HollywoodReporter, 2 June 2025
Adjective
  • These coverage losses were avoidable with better, more efficient communication.
    Lisa Fitzpatrick, Forbes.com, 5 June 2025
  • The company discontinued the 5.7-liter engine amid tightening fuel economy regulations and a companywide push toward electric vehicles and more efficient engines last year under ex-Stellantis CEO Carlos Tavares.
    Michael Wayland, CNBC, 5 June 2025
Adjective
  • Kaplan is a journalist, former editor-in-chief of the Sunday newspaper supplement Parade magazine, and a prolific author.
    Aliza Knox, Forbes.com, 1 June 2025
  • Skylight, for example, builds on Bluesky’s recent support for vertical video feeds to offer a spying-free TikTok alternative; billionaire investor Mark Cuban, one of Bluesky’s more prolific posters, has since funded a pre-seed round for the app.
    Rob Pegoraro, PC Magazine, 29 May 2025
Adjective
  • Yet the most effective way for organizations to manage conflict informally and quickly is to embed accountability for resolving issues at every level.
    Anna Shields, Forbes.com, 4 June 2025
  • Dental Care with Heart: The Power of Emotional Intelligence Emotional intelligence is the ability to understand, manage, and respond to emotions, and is a cornerstone of effective healthcare.
    Jon Stojan, USA Today, 4 June 2025
Adjective
  • Non-physician educational experiences differ widely by program, geography and clinical focus, leading to a workforce rich in potential but fragmented in preparation.
    Jesse Corn, Forbes.com, 5 June 2025
  • The texture of the shampoo was rich, coated the hair well, and imparted a like-new shine — thanks to the product’s rich ingredients of coconut oil, silk proteins, shea butter, and neem oil.
    Kayla Blanton, People.com, 5 June 2025
Adjective
  • Nor can discussions be productive without acknowledging the existence of both parties’ perspectives.
    Mark Travers, Forbes.com, 31 May 2025
  • The pandemic taught companies that employees working at home could still be productive.
    Doug Ross, Chicago Tribune, 31 May 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Fruitful.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/fruitful. Accessed 9 Jun. 2025.

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