What is unprofitable? Pronunciation and usage in English

Let's break down how to use the word "unprofitable" in English. It's a slightly formal word, so it's best used in more serious contexts.

1. Definition:

"Unprofitable" means not producing profit; not likely to yield a return; not beneficial. It describes something that doesn't generate money or value.

2. Parts of Speech & Grammar:

• Adjective: This is its most common usage. It modifies a noun.
  • Example: "The investment was unprofitable and resulted in a loss." (Modifies "investment")
  • Example: "His business venture proved to be unprofitable." (Modifies "venture")

3. How to Use It (with Examples):

Here’s a breakdown with different contexts:

• Business & Finance: This is where you'll most often find the word.

  • "The company’s new product line was deemed unprofitable after six months."
  • “The farm's operations were unprofitable due to low crop yields.”
  • “The investment in that stock was unprofitable—we lost a significant amount of money.”

• Time & Effort (Less Common, but valid): It can also describe activities that don't yield valuable results.

  • “Spending hours on that project was unprofitable; we didn't achieve anything meaningful.” (Here, “profitable” refers to having a desirable outcome.)
  • “Trying to convince him to change his mind was unprofitable – he remained adamant.” (Meaning it wasted time and effort)

• Resources (Sometimes): Can be used to describe resources that aren't useful.

  • "Their efforts to salvage the damaged equipment were unprofitable." (Meaning the equipment couldn't be restored to a usable state.)

4. Synonyms:

Using synonyms can help you vary your language and avoid overuse of "unprofitable." Here are some options:

• Loss-making: (Common in business)
• Unsuccessful: (General)
• Unrewarding: (Focuses on not giving satisfaction or benefit)
• Barren: (Often used for land or ventures, suggesting lack of productivity)
• Ineffective: (If the activity didn't produce the desired result)
• Fruitless: (Similar to ineffective)

5. Important Note: “Unprofitable” is a fairly formal word. In casual conversation, you'd usually use phrases like:

• "Didn't make any money"
• "Wasn't worth it"
• "Didn't produce a return"

Example Sentence Combining It All:

“After significant investment and research, the new marketing campaign proved to be unprofitable, resulting in a substantial decline in sales and minimal return on investment."

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To help me give you even more tailored advice, could you tell me:

• What kind of writing are you working on? (e.g., a business report, a story, an essay?)
• What is the sentence you’re trying to incorporate the word into? (If you have a specific sentence in mind, I can help you refine it.)