profitable

/ˈprɒfɪtəbl/ (bre, ipa) · /ˈprɑːfɪtəbl/ (ame, ipa) · /ˈprä-fə-tə-bəl ˈpräf-tə-bəl/ (ame, mw)

profitable — adjective

  • profitablepositive
  • more profitablecomparative
  • most profitablesuperlative

1. producing or likely to produce a financial gain — when a business, investment, o

1.形容詞B2
釋義

producing or likely to produce a financial gain — when a business, investment, or activity earns more money than it costs to run.

例句

After three years of losses, the small bakery finally became profitable last quarter.

collocation: become profitable

Vikram believed solar energy would be a profitable business, so he invested in it.

同義詞
  • lucrative

    stronger emphasis on large sums of money; 'lucrative' suggests very high earnings, while 'profitable' covers any positive return

  • moneymaking

    less formal and more informal; focuses on the activity of earning money rather than the result

  • gainful

    more formal and often used for employment ('gainful employment'); narrower in scope

反義詞
  • unprofitable

    direct opposite — not making money

  • loss-making

    used specifically for businesses that spend more than they earn

用法筆記

Frequently used with verbs like 'become', 'prove', and 'remain'. Common as a predicative adjective (after 'be', 'become', 'seem').

常見錯誤

❌She made a profitable investment that ended up losing money.
✅She made an unprofitable investment that ended up losing money.
💡'Profitable' means the investment earned money; if it lost money, use 'unprofitable' or 'loss-making'.

2. giving you an advantage, benefit, or useful result — describing an activity, exp

2.形容詞B2
釋義

giving you an advantage, benefit, or useful result — describing an activity, experience, or conversation that is worth doing because of what you gain from it, even if no money is involved.

例句

The conference was a profitable experience for Yael — she made valuable contacts in the industry.

collocation: profitable experience

Hiro found that keeping a daily journal was a profitable habit for his personal growth.

collocation: profitable habit

同義詞
  • beneficial

    broader — can refer to health, well-being, or any positive effect; 'profitable' is more about practical or career advantage

  • rewarding

    emphasises personal satisfaction and emotional fulfilment, not just practical benefit

  • advantageous

    more formal, often about strategic position or competitive benefit

反義詞
  • useless

    direct opposite — providing no benefit or result

  • unproductive

    focuses on wasted time or effort, often about meetings or work

用法筆記

Commonly modifies abstract nouns such as 'experience', 'discussion', 'relationship', 'conversation', or 'habit'. This sense does not refer to money — understand the difference from sense 1 by checking whether the topic involves financial gain.

常見錯誤

❌I had a very profitable time at the party.
✅I had a very enjoyable time at the party.
💡'Profitable' in sense 2 requires a concrete benefit or result; for general enjoyment without a clear advantage, use 'enjoyable' or 'pleasant'.