as in unsuccessful
producing no results
an unprofitable effort to find the information
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Recent Examples of unprofitable
Railways closed many unprofitable lines after they were allowed to do so by the Staggers Rail Act of 1980.
—
Ian Savage, The Conversation, 14 Jan. 2026
Unlike private hospitals that can withdraw when services are unprofitable, public safety-net hospitals cannot walk away.
—Nan Rich, Sun Sentinel, 13 Jan. 2026
If the department has a plan to increase services — say, by ensuring at least one hospital in a region is equipped to deliver babies — that would be a different story, but the state would have to have some way of compensating hospitals taking on unprofitable services, Stansbury said.
—Meg Wingerter, Denver Post, 11 Jan. 2026
The reporting shows that plenty of fear and uncertainty remain over the untold billions of dollars being poured into wildly unprofitable AI ventures — a dynamic that’s seen AI companies’ valuations skyrocket to record heights, despite dubious prospects of ever turning a profit.
—Victor Tangermann, Futurism, 7 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for unprofitable
Ian Savage, The Conversation, 14 Jan. 2026
Unlike private hospitals that can withdraw when services are unprofitable, public safety-net hospitals cannot walk away.
—Nan Rich, Sun Sentinel, 13 Jan. 2026
If the department has a plan to increase services — say, by ensuring at least one hospital in a region is equipped to deliver babies — that would be a different story, but the state would have to have some way of compensating hospitals taking on unprofitable services, Stansbury said.
—Meg Wingerter, Denver Post, 11 Jan. 2026
The reporting shows that plenty of fear and uncertainty remain over the untold billions of dollars being poured into wildly unprofitable AI ventures — a dynamic that’s seen AI companies’ valuations skyrocket to record heights, despite dubious prospects of ever turning a profit.
—Victor Tangermann, Futurism, 7 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for unprofitable
Recent Examples of Synonyms for unprofitable
Adjective
-
The Star-Telegram attempted to reach Atkins for comment, but was unsuccessful.—
Matthew Adams,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
5 Feb. 2026
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Last year, the moderate Democrat took on a crowded field of candidates in an unsuccessful bid to become New York City mayor.—
Jesse Zanger,
CBS News,
5 Feb. 2026
Adjective
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The metallic sheets cannot stop the damage Echard seeks to impose on her canvases, much like those tinfoil hats that some use in confused, futile efforts to shield themselves from pernicious invisible forces.—
Theo Belci,
Artforum,
1 Feb. 2026
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But other professors, perhaps concluding that resistance is futile, are adjusting to the media their students grew up on.—
Rose Horowitch,
The Atlantic,
30 Jan. 2026
Adjective
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Homeowners and residents are baffled by the attacks upon their beautiful — but otherwise seemingly useless — plants.—
Tribune News Service,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
31 Jan. 2026
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My deep cynicism thinks this was a diabolical plan to herd young people toward expensive, and somewhat useless, college degrees.—
Tim Carter,
Hartford Courant,
31 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Unprofitable.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/unprofitable. Accessed 7 Feb. 2026.
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