Word
profitable
Phoneticsprof·itable
US/ˈpɹɑfətəbəɫ/
UK/pɹˈɒfɪtəbəl/
Definitions
01making money
B2 · Upper Intermediate
adj. making more money than you spend on a business or activity.
adj. yielding a financial profit; where total revenue exceeds total costs.
日本語:有利※
“The company became profitable only two years after it started.”
“The board of directors decided to divest from the retail sector, as it was no longer a profitable venture compared to their digital services.”
Synonyms
Antonyms
02useful or beneficial
C1 · Advanced Formal
adj. helpful or useful for your personal growth or a specific goal.
adj. beneficial, advantageous, or useful in a non-financial context.
日本語:有益※
“We had a very profitable discussion about how to improve the team.”
“The sabbatical proved to be a highly profitable period for the researcher, allowing her to synthesize years of disparate data into a cohesive theory.”
Synonyms
Collocations
Common phrases and expressions where native English speakers use the word “profitable” in context.
Verb
01. make the business profitable
“The new CEO implemented several cost-cutting measures to make the business profitable again.”
verb + noun + adj
02. prove profitable
“The decision to expand into the European market proved profitable within the first year.”
verb + adj
03. remain profitable
“Despite the economic downturn, the family-run bakery managed to remain profitable.”
verb + adj
Adjective
04. profitable use of time
“Reading academic journals is a more profitable use of time than scrolling through social media.”
adj + noun + prep + noun
05. profitable venture
“Their partnership in the real estate industry turned out to be a very profitable venture.”
adj + noun
Adverb
06. highly profitable
“The tech giant reported that its cloud computing division remains highly profitable.”
adv + adj
07. potentially profitable
“Investors are always on the lookout for potentially profitable startups in emerging markets.”
adv + adj
Real-World Examples
“Founded in 1337 to generate money for male heirs to the throne, it too became significantly more profitable in recent decades.” “Conflict is welcomed as long as it’s profitable.” Etymology
From Old French profitable, equivalent to profit + -able.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Word family
NOUN
ADJECTIVE
ADVERB
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.C1 AdvancedIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.7.0–8.0TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 5.0–5.595–113TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.945–990
- Frequency
- Common
- Level
- C1 · AdvancedOxford
- Updated
- アルファベット
- 読み方の一覧 →
QR code
englishreference.com/q/profitable
※ 機械で選んだ訳語です。ネイティブスピーカーによる確認はまだです。
「日本語」 data: JMdict (EDRDG), CC BY-SA 4.0