often attributive
1
: a valuable return : gain
2
: the excess of returns over expenditure in a transaction or series of transactions
especially
: the excess of the selling price of goods over their cost
3
: net income usually for a given period of time
4
: the ratio of profit for a given year to the amount of capital invested or to the value of sales
5
: the compensation accruing to entrepreneurs for the assumption of risk in business enterprise as distinguished from wages or rent
profited; profiting; profits
: to be of service to : benefit
Examples of profit in a Sentence
Noun
The company made a profit this year.
Profits are up from last year.
There was a rise in profits this year.
The profits from CD sales were donated to charity.
The organization is not run for profit.
The film made $1,000,000 in profit.
The book can be read with profit by anyone who wants to understand how the system works.
Verb
It would profit him to take some computer classes.
The company has profited by selling its products online.
He profited greatly from his investments.
The island profits from tourism.
Recent Examples on the Web
Elizabeth D. Samet, Foreign Affairs, 29 Oct. 2025
Though Corcoran only appears in a still photo in one of the sequel's scenes, and not at all in last year's Terrifier 3, her contract ought to have guaranteed a percentage of the franchise's backend profits.
—Ryan Coleman, Entertainment Weekly, 28 Oct. 2025
Michael Ruiz, FOXNews.com, 29 Oct. 2025
In an allegation that ties together the suit’s claims of unpaid royalties and unregulated shooting conditions, the suit claims that the defendants have profited from merchandise depicting Corcoran’s nude body.
—J. Kim Murphy, Variety, 28 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for profit
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
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Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
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Noun
Potential adversaries interpret political action in zero-sum terms; see malice and evil design in mere blunders and coincidence; trumpet necessity rather than navigate choice; and, in extreme cases, invent pretext or promise profit to make more palatable a dubious cause.
—Elizabeth D. Samet, Foreign Affairs, 29 Oct. 2025
Though Corcoran only appears in a still photo in one of the sequel's scenes, and not at all in last year's Terrifier 3, her contract ought to have guaranteed a percentage of the franchise's backend profits.
—Ryan Coleman, Entertainment Weekly, 28 Oct. 2025
Verb
According to Idaho law, if a criminal signs a deal to profit from telling their crime story — including through a movie, book or magazine article — the profits first go to the state treasurer to be sent to an escrow account.
—Michael Ruiz, FOXNews.com, 29 Oct. 2025
In an allegation that ties together the suit’s claims of unpaid royalties and unregulated shooting conditions, the suit claims that the defendants have profited from merchandise depicting Corcoran’s nude body.
—J. Kim Murphy, Variety, 28 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for profit
Cite this Entry
“Profit.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/profit. Accessed 31 Oct. 2025.
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