more profitable past

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "more profitable past" is not correct and does not convey a clear meaning in written English.
It may be intended to refer to a time in the past that was more profitable, but the phrasing is awkward and unclear. Example: "Looking back, we can see that the more profitable past of our company was during the early 2000s."

⚠ May contain grammatical issues

News & Media

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

1 human-written examples

Gray, treeless monuments to the town's more profitable past.

The New York Times - Magazine

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

54 human-written examples

No.The seeds of discordPerhaps it would be more profitable to look deeper into the past.

The Economist

Banks are thus both safer and more profitable, a fine combination.In the past, banks would have ways of undoing this good work, through costly acquisitions or headstrong expansion into marginal businesses.

The Economist

It's worth noting that those "digital dimes" are often more profitable than the "analog dollars" of the past because much less overhead is required.

TechCrunch

Associates of Ms. Godoff said the criticisms were unfair because, if her division retained the profits from all of its past paperbacks, it would have been much more profitable.

The New York Times

Ironically users of local service, which will be deprived of past subsidies from A.T. & T.'s more profitable operations, are expected to pay higher rates.

The New Yorker

We have been known to pull down historic structures with remarkably little concern, to crumble and pave over our past in order to make way for what we hope will be an even more profitable future.

The New York Times - Magazine

Some are putting their own dollars into Web investments, betting that the Internet will be more profitable for them than so many of the bum land deals and dicey restaurant chains of the past.

Forbes

In the past, some Jews criticized the Y for sacrificing its legendary classical music repertory to make room for more profitable celebrity lectures and crowd-pleasing classes ("75 Ways to Flirt").

The New York Times

Puritycult of culling made vastly more profitable.

The New Yorker

It is also safer and more profitable.

The Economist

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Instead of using the phrase "more profitable past", consider restructuring your sentence to use clearer and more common phrases such as "more lucrative history" or "more successful past" to avoid ambiguity.

Common error

Avoid directly translating the idea of "more profitable past" as it may sound unnatural to native English speakers. Rephrase to describe why the past was more profitable rather than stating it directly, for example, "the company's most lucrative period".

Linguistic Context

The phrase "more profitable past" functions as a noun modifier, attempting to describe a specific period in time. Ludwig AI points out that its usage is not standard and suggests that the expression is grammatically awkward.

Expression frequency: Rare

Frequent in

News & Media

100%

Less common in

Science

0%

Formal & Business

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "more profitable past" seeks to describe a previous period characterized by greater financial success. However, Ludwig AI analysis indicates that the phrase is not grammatically sound and suggests exploring alternative phrasings for improved clarity and naturalness. While examples can be found, primarily in News & Media sources, rephrasing is recommended, especially in formal contexts. Consider alternatives like "more lucrative history" or focusing on why the past was more profitable. Prioritize clear and common language to avoid ambiguity.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

earlier, more profitable years

Inverts the structure to place "earlier" first, clarifying the temporal aspect while keeping "profitable" intact.

more lucrative bygone era

Replaces "profitable" with "lucrative" and "past" with "bygone era", altering both words to offer a more formal tone.

more successful earlier times

Substitutes "profitable" with "successful" and "past" with "earlier times", focusing on overall success rather than just financial gain.

more prosperous old days

Changes "profitable" to "prosperous" and "past" to "old days", emphasizing economic well-being and a less formal tone.

more booming past period

Replaces "profitable" with "booming", emphasizing rapid economic growth, while keeping "past period" to ensure clear reference.

more thriving historical period

Replaces "profitable" with "thriving" and "past" with "historical period", highlighting a flourishing state in a more academic context.

more fruitful previous epoch

Replaces "profitable" with "fruitful" and "past" with "previous epoch", focusing on productive outcomes and a more formal tone.

more productive previous time

Changes "profitable" to "productive" and "past" to "previous time", emphasizing output and efficiency.

financially superior olden days

Replaces "more profitable" with "financially superior" and "past" with "olden days", adding an old fashioned tone with stronger emphasis on financials.

more rewarding former age

Substitutes "profitable" with "rewarding" and "past" with "former age", shifting the focus to the benefits and a slightly archaic feel.

FAQs

How can I rephrase "more profitable past" to sound more natural?

Consider using phrases like "more lucrative history", "more successful past", or describing specific aspects of the period that made it more profitable.

Is "more profitable past" grammatically correct?

While the individual words are correct, the combination is not standard English usage. It's better to rephrase for clarity. Ludwig AI suggests that "more profitable past" is not correct.

What are some alternative ways to describe a time when a business was more successful?

You could say "the company's most lucrative period", "the era of greatest financial success", or "a time of greater prosperity".

How can I use "more profitable" correctly in a sentence about the past?

Instead of "more profitable past", try "the past was more profitable because..." and then explain the reasons, or "our business used to be more profitable". Consider rephrasing to focus on the specific activities or conditions that led to greater profitability in the past.