ENGLISH
REFERENCE

profits

n. C / U
B1 Intermediate US //ˈpɹɑfɪts// UK //pɹˈɒfɪts// prof·its

n. the money a business earns after paying all its costs. If you sell something for more than it cost you to make, you have made a profit.

n. the financial gain representing the difference between the amount earned and the amount spent in buying, operating, or producing something.


SIMPLE

The company reported record profits this year.

CONTEXTUAL

After paying for materials and labor, the small bakery reinvests its profits into new equipment.

COMPLEX

While gross revenue increased significantly, net profits remained stagnant due to the rising costs of raw materials and international shipping.

Synonyms
Antonyms
Usage

Often used in the plural when referring to the total earnings of a company over a specific period.

Pitfall

The company made many profitsThe company made a large profitWhen referring to the general concept of financial gain, use the singular 'profit' with an adjective like 'large' or 'high' rather than 'many'.

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