a unprofitable

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "a unprofitable" is not correct in written English. It should be "an unprofitable" because "unprofitable" begins with a vowel sound. Example: "The venture turned out to be an unprofitable investment." Alternative expressions include "a loss-making" and "a non-profitable."

⚠ May contain grammatical issues

News & Media

Business

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

1 human-written examples

Whenever I visit our nation's capital, it's not uncommon for me to wait 10+ minutes as a series of cabs reject me for either paying with credit card or asking to be driven to a unprofitable location.

TechCrunch

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

59 human-written examples

Once upon a time, an unprofitable Internet start-up like Zivity, a social site that revolves around photos of models, might have turned into just another dot-bomb.

The New York Times - Tech

I do not call a gamester a dishonest man; but I call him an unsocial man, an unprofitable man.

Forbes

"We went from a profitable to an unprofitable business," Mr. Anderson said.

The New York Times

For content creators like Time Warner and NBCUniversal, teaming up with content disseminators offers a hedge on an unprofitable TV business.

Forbes

In particular, signing a 25-year deal in an online world with an unprofitable, unproven operator looks likely to cause problems".

The Guardian - Business

When the magazine closed in 2004, its reputation dwindled, circulation had fallen to an unprofitable 25,000 copies a month.

The New York Times - Style

The Pritzkers founded the Marmon Group in the early 1950s, after taking out a loan to buy an unprofitable manufacturer of bicycles and hospital equipment.

The New York Times

"The outlook was for an unprofitable 2009," says a Platinum spokesman.

Forbes

Blockbusters were the difference between a profitable year and an unprofitable one.

Forbes

Instead, they're borrowing a theory from other cities: If you build an unprofitable stadium next to an unprofitable convention center, the synergy will miraculously turn their combined red ink into black.

The New York Times

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Always use the indefinite article "an" before "unprofitable". The choice of article is determined by the sound of the following word, and since "unprofitable" begins with a vowel sound (uh), "an" is required.

Common error

Do not assume that all words starting with the letter 'u' take the article "a". While "a university" is correct because it starts with a consonant 'y' sound, "unprofitable" starts with a vowel sound and must be preceded by "an".

How to use

Learn how to use "a unprofitable" with practical examples and tips.

How to use

Linguistic Context

In the phrase "a unprofitable", the indefinite article acts as a determiner for a following noun. However, as noted by Ludwig, the selection of "a" is a grammatical mismatch for the vowel-headed adjective "unprofitable". In standard English, the article must agree with the phonological onset of the next word.

Expression frequency: Rare

Frequent in

News & Media

85%

Business

10%

Social Media

5%

Less common in

Science

0.1%

Academia

0.1%

Formal & Business

0.1%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The analysis of "a unprofitable" reveals that while the phrase appears in high-profile publications like TechCrunch, it remains a clear grammatical error. Ludwig AI highlights that the correct form is almost universally "an unprofitable", a rule followed by the vast majority of snippets from The New York Times and The Guardian. The error usually stems from misjudging the initial sound of the word "unprofitable". Writers are advised to prioritize phonetic agreement over spelling, ensuring that vowel sounds are always preceded by "an" to maintain professional credibility and clarity in business and academic writing.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

an unprofitable

Corrects the indefinite article to match the vowel sound at the start of unprofitable.

a non-profitable

Uses a different adjective prefix that allows for the use of the article a.

a loss-making

A standard business term describing an entity that loses money rather than making it.

a money-losing

A more informal or descriptive way to characterize a business without profit.

an uneconomic

Describes something that is not worth doing because it does not pay for itself.

a failing

Suggests not only a lack of profit but also a general lack of success or viability.

an unremunerative

A highly formal synonym used to describe work or investments that do not pay well.

an unsuccessful

A broader term that can imply a lack of profit among other failures.

a deficit-running

Specific to financial contexts where expenses exceed income.

a bankrupt

Refers to the legal state of being unable to pay debts, often following unprofitability.

FAQs

Which is correct, "a unprofitable" or "an unprofitable"?

The correct form is "an unprofitable". This is because "unprofitable" begins with a vowel sound, necessitating the use of "an" rather than "a".

What can I say instead of "a unprofitable"?

You can use grammatically correct alternatives like "an unprofitable", "a non-profitable", or "a loss-making" venture.

Why does "a unprofitable" appear in some news articles?

When "a unprofitable" appears in professional writing, it is almost certainly a typographical error that escaped the editing process.

Is "a unprofitable" ever acceptable in formal writing?

No, "a unprofitable" is not considered acceptable in any register of English. You should always use "an unprofitable" to remain grammatically correct.