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Showing results for unprofitable. Search instead for unprofitabl.
Definitions

unprofitable

[uhn-prof-i-tuh-buhl] / ʌnˈprɒf ɪ tə bəl /
ADJECTIVE
producing no profit or gain
Synonyms
STRONGEST
unsuccessful worthless
WEAK
nonprofit profitless unlucrative unremunerative
Antonyms
WEAK
beneficial fruitful gainful helpful productive profitable successful useful valuable
ADJECTIVE
useless
Synonyms
STRONGEST
fruitless futile
WEAK
hopeless pointless unhelpful vain
Antonyms
STRONGEST
fruitful productive profitable
WEAK
beneficial gainful helpful successful useful valuable
ADJECTIVE
not profitable
Synonyms
STRONGEST
fruitless futile idle useless
WEAK
barren dry frustaneous gainless hopeless inutile pointless profitless sterile unavailing unfruitful unlucrative unremunerative unrewarding vain
Antonyms
STRONGEST
fruitful productive profitable useful working worthwhile
WEAK
beneficial gainful helpful successful valuable

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

Many of the latest breakthrough drugs trace their origins to research efforts that initially looked unprofitable or speculative.

From MarketWatch • Apr. 15, 2026

A year ago, Applied Optoelectronics was a sleepy, unprofitable tech stock best known for crashing in 2017 when orders from Amazon.com dried up.

From Barron's • Apr. 6, 2026

The SI media business was unprofitable under Bhargava and Arena missed a payment to Authentic on its licensing deal.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 5, 2026

Unlike sailings, though, they’re able to cancel unprofitable flights, and airfares are moving higher.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 27, 2026

Mr. Sharpe and the new investors made us sensible of how unprofitable were the products of crayon, quill, and fiddle.

From "The Astonishing Life of Octavian Nothing, Traitor to the Nation, Volume I: The Pox Party" by M.T. Anderson