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Unprofitable - Meaning, Definition & English Examples

Unprofitable means not yielding financial gain or benefit. It describes activities, investments, or businesses that fail to generate profit or are not worthwhile in terms of time, effort, or resources spent.

unprofitable

/ʌnˈprɑfɪtəbəl/ /ʌnˈprɒfɪtəbl̩/

Definition:

Not yielding profit or financial gain; not beneficial or worthwhile.

Synonyms:

loss-making, unproductive, uneconomic, fruitless

Part of Speech:

adjective

Antonyms:

profitable, lucrative, fruitful

Common Collocations:

unprofitable business, unprofitable venture, unprofitable investment

Derivatives:

unprofitability, unprofitableness

Usage Tips:

Use "unprofitable" to describe ventures or activities that fail to generate financial gain or positive results.

Common Phrases:

cut your losses, money pit, sink money into

Etymology:

Derived from "un-" (not) + "profitable," from Latin "proficere" (to make progress or gain).

Examples:

  • 1. The store closed because it was unprofitable for years.
  • 2. Selling handmade crafts became unprofitable due to high material costs.
  • 3. The company abandoned the unprofitable project last quarter.
  • 4. Farming on this land is unprofitable without subsidies.

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