gainful
/ˈɡeɪnfl/ (bre, ipa) · /ˈɡeɪnfl/ (ame, ipa) · /ˈgān-fəl/ (ame, mw)
gainful — adjective
- gainfulpositive
- more gainfulcomparative
- most gainfulsuperlative
1. bringing in pay or another practical benefit, especially when used about work or
bringing in pay or another practical benefit, especially when used about work or activity
After months of training, Min found gainful work at a bike shop.
gainful work as a formal collocation
The city program helps young adults move into gainful employment after school.
gainful employment in formal policy language
Lakshmi hoped her sewing would become gainful enough to pay rent.
Rodrigo's fruit stand became gainful after the new apartments opened.
The farm became gainful once tourists started booking rooms in winter.
- profitable
broader and more common for businesses, deals, or plans that make money
- lucrative
stronger, usually suggesting especially high earnings
- paid
only says money is received, without the formal sense of useful return
- unpaid
describes work done without money
- unprofitable
best for work or business that fails to bring in enough money
文法句型
gainful employment
gainful work
become gainful
用法筆記
Formal and most common before nouns such as employment, work, occupation, or activity. It can also follow be or become for a business, project, or piece of work that starts to bring in money.