GAINFUL Synonyms: 19 Similar and Opposite Words

gainful

adjective

ˈgān-fəl

Definition of gainful

as in lucrative

yielding a profit graduated from school and went looking for gainful employment

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Recent Examples of gainful But in a bleak youth job market, there’s a growing recognition that crossing the graduation stage is not always enough to put young people on a path to gainful employment. — Cayla Bamberger, New York Daily News, 26 Apr. 2026 The goal is to prepare these students for their future jobs by developing the skills needed to find gainful employment. — Noe Padilla, IndyStar, 28 Dec. 2025 Where do alien nerds find gainful employ? — Literary Hub, 19 Nov. 2025 At her age, being prickly was neither enchanting nor gainful. — Yiyun Li, New Yorker, 15 June 2025 See All Example Sentences for gainful

Recent Examples of Synonyms for gainful

Adjective

Major financial firms like Morgan Stanley and Wells Fargo stopped participating in the company’s lucrative rankings of wealth advisers for fear of being tarnished by association.

— Benjamin Mullin, New York Times, 15 Oct. 2026
When Foxx exited for a lucrative ABC deal, the pair worked on the spinoffs Grady and Sanford Arms.

— Mike Barnes, HollywoodReporter, 15 Oct. 2026

Definition of lucrative

Adjective

Though Netflix is profitable, analysts say the company hasn’t produced enough hits and are skeptical of its plans to grow its subscriber base.

— Samantha Masunaga, Los Angeles Times, 19 Oct. 2026
The maiden sale proves that cleaner copper is a profitable, commercially viable reality.

— Mrigakshi Dixit, Interesting Engineering, 19 Oct. 2026

Definition of profitable

Adjective

The vessels were effectively self-insured against attacks, according to the official's account, with higher crude prices making the voyages financially worthwhile despite the risks.

— Lee Ying Shan, CNBC, 16 Oct. 2026
If Plex could use its user data to drive worthwhile recommendations, monetizing its content discovery could prove lucrative.

— Scharon Harding, ArsTechnica, 15 Oct. 2026

Definition of worthwhile

Browse Nearby Words

gainers

gainful

gain ground

See all Nearby Words

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“Gainful.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/gainful. Accessed 22 Oct. 2026.

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Synonyms of gainful

adjective

Example Sentences

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