profitableprof‧it‧a‧ble /ˈprɒfətəbəl $ ˈprɑː-/ ●●○ adjective 
The advertising campaign proved very profitable. a highly profitable business a profitable afternoon—profitably adverb
EXAMPLES FROM OTHER DICTIONARIES
- a profitable business
- I had a very profitable conversation with Jack today.
- It's only in the last year that our business has become profitable. Before that we were just managing to cover our costs.
- Many small hospitals are struggling to stay profitable.
- We don't sell children's clothes any more - it wasn't profitable enough.
- Co. in San Francisco said oil companies had been expected to turn in a highly profitable quarter.
- It also is, very often, more profitable.
- It is a profitable business but there is evidence of some slack time, perhaps this is a learning curve effect.
- Observance of reasonable guidelines designed to encourage increased and profitable participation by Network members in cross-border transactions.
- The investments will only be profitable when the following conditions apply:.
- To finance the delays, the company took on a series of routine programming and trouble-shooting projects, which proved consistently profitable.
- Whether such a small mass payback is economically profitable is far from obvious.
Longman Language Activatorwhen a business produces a profit
a profitable business or activity makes a profit: · We don't sell children's clothes any more - it wasn't profitable enough.· It's only in the last year that our business has become profitable. Before that we were just managing to cover our costs.
a type of business or activity that is lucrative produces a very large profit: · Catering is a very lucrative business if you succeed in it.· Sam's journalistic work was much more lucrative than his painting had ever been.· There is still an illegal but lucrative trade in ivory between Africa and South-East Asia.
British informal a business or product that produces a large profit: · The little bar turned out to be a real moneyspinner.· The toy companies are always trying to find another money-spinner like Monopoly or the Barbie doll.
informal a small business, especially a shop or restaurant, that produces a very large profit: · It's just a scruffy little beach café, but in summer it's an absolute goldmine.· I bet that corner shop's a goldmine.
COLLOCATIONS FROM THE ENTRY a highly profitable businessCOLLOCATIONS FROM OTHER ENTRIES
a highly profitable business· Within a few years she had established a thriving business in London.
COLLOCATIONS FROM THE CORPUSADVERB· I intend to show that marketing non-violence can be as profitable as the violence industry can be.· Experience has taught them, however, that war itself is not necessarily as profitable as its preparation.· It is estimated that keg beer is twice as profitable as cask beer, lager four times as profitable.· On Feb. 26, Langham questioned whether Lucent would be as profitable as in the past.· It is estimated that keg beer is twice as profitable as cask beer, lager four times as profitable.· We are not shaking anybody down for public money, so we will not be as profitable as some franchises.· This dash for colonial territories was not always as profitable as the colonial authorities might have wished.· The retailer wants to make his business as profitable as possible.
· Slavery is, then, under certain conditions, a highly profitable system of exploitation.· But they found no trace of the highly profitable illegal cargo that it was supposed to be carrying.· Co. in San Francisco said oil companies had been expected to turn in a highly profitable quarter.· The aim is to produce beers that are sterile, have a long shelf life and are highly profitable.· Tuft denies Catania's contentions, although he concedes the company borrows heavily and is not highly profitable.· The venture was an immediate and highly profitable success in the years between the Wars.· If you are seeking a highly profitable instant business, you will probably be disappointed-it does not exist.
· As coastal fisheries have become less profitable through overfishing, more fishermen have taken to killing small cetaceans to supplement their incomes.· In this framework, policies that encourage investment are good; policies that make investment less profitable are bad.· The Basset connection brought Richard less profitable consequences in 1233, when Gilbert Basset fell under royal disfavour.· None the less, investors are right in perceiving that, for many tech companies, the growth is becoming less profitable.
· Higher demand for credit will drive up interest rates, making it more profitable for banks to supply more credit.· Companies want proof that diversity training makes them more profitable and productive, but no hard data exists.· The multinational drug companies are often exploiting that knowledge in their constant search for new and more profitable drugs.· On the contrary, it was more profitable than ever before.· The division of labour not only makes capitalist investment more profitable it also involves the continual undermining of workers' skills.· Safer than bonds and a whole lot more profitable.· The product side is more profitable than the custom side.· Yet not one of these companies will pay a just claim until it is more profitable to pay than not.
· This strategy is capable of converting them from the least profitable product group to the most profitable - for a time.· We once worked for a successful trucking company that built one of its most profitable operations around an unplanned incident.· That's helped to make it one of the most profitable independent companies.· Imax is the oldest of the three companies, at 28 years, and has been the most profitable.· The other core business is United Distillers, the world's most profitable spirits company.· Dedicated servers are one of Verio's fastest growing and most profitable businesses.· SmithKline is Britain's fifth biggest company and one of the most profitable.· Nowadays, it's the most profitable thing Tod does.
· To be effective, market segments must be clearly identifiable and substantial enough to be potentially profitable.· Rather than expending vast sums on political posturing, we may in-stead choose to invest in potentially profitable space enterprises.· To be known formally as Italiana Trasporti Ferroviaria, this organisation is potentially profitable.· Financial intermediaries also ensure that projects that are potentially profitable will be able to obtain finance.
· Mental illness became a very profitable business indeed.· In the long run, it may turn out to be a very profitable center.· Baxter believed this was a very profitable exercise.· In the process, the station has become very profitable.· It may be secure, but it isn't very profitable for long.· Kidnapping is a business and a very profitable one.· The trick, clearly, is a very profitable one if you can get away with it.· As the business had become very profitable by then, a syndicate was set up to buy Savery's rights.
NOUN· But online stock trading was once one of the few reliably profitable areas of electronic commerce.· The mortgage department was the most profitable area of the firm, and the place trainees most desperately wanted to work.· Although banking remains important, the most profitable area for expansion in recent years has been manufacturing.
· Indeed, many draw very high salaries, run profitable businesses, have satisfied clients, and some become millionaires.· And there are many examples of successful partnerships-entrepreneurs who worked positively together to build a profitable business.· Mental illness became a very profitable business indeed.· Copying music is a very profitable business here.· Dedicated servers are one of Verio's fastest growing and most profitable businesses.· When peace came in 1801, Gibbs was able to set up a profitable business in Cadiz.· Finally, there are some occasions on which the private sector chooses to abandon a profitable business.
· Similarly, only profitable companies pay tax, so how do the loss-making startups benefit?· Gates Corporation, on the other hand, is a profitable company with assets.· It all spells out a more efficient and profitable company.· It also means a more profitable company and more secure jobs.· Certainly Dowty Electrics is a profitable company and I believe, our members have a reasonably secure future.
· With the more profitable firms the differential between the main companies rate and the individual higher rate is only 7%.
· While the scope for profitable investment in manufacturing industry was limited, the owner-occupied housing market seemed ideal for loan capital.· In approving costs the Profitboss sees nothing but a profitable investment opportunity.
· After all, an entrepreneur needs no assets to engage in profitable market participation.· Businessmen looked for profitable markets and new sources of cheap raw materials; the military looked for overseas bases.· In consequence there has not been an opportunity for profitable market entry by efficient private companies.
· This strategy is capable of converting them from the least profitable product group to the most profitable - for a time.· Otherwise, mature profitable products may be loaded with the costs of new product development and closed down too quickly.
· The second priority is to manage the demand for water and re-allocate it to the most profitable uses.· Whoever is bidding against them presumably has a profitable use for it.
· It showed that it was not going to be a profitable venture over time.· On the whole it was a profitable venture.
· Copgo Wood Group enjoyed a profitable year with strong service sales to its oil company and geothermal customers.
WORD FAMILYnounprofitprofitabilityprofiteeringprofiteeradjectiveprofitable ≠ unprofitableprofitlessverbprofitprofiteeradverbprofitablyprofitlessly
producing a profit or a useful result OPP unprofitable: The advertising campaign proved very profitable. a highly profitable business a profitable afternoon—profitably adverb