unprofitable

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "unprofitable" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to describe something that does not yield profit or is not financially beneficial. Example: "The investment turned out to be unprofitable, leading to significant losses for the company."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Formal & Business

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

Meanwhile, he says, he will have no compunction about walking away from unprofitable contracts when they come up for renewal.

The Guardian

In the North Sea, EnQuest has pursued what it describes as a "scavenger strategy" centred on older fields that other oil companies have deemed unprofitable and abandoned.

The Guardian

A leading homecare provider says it will have no compunction about walking away from unprofitable contracts With social care braced for further deep cuts in government funding via councils, the outlook is far from encouraging for the companies and charities that provide almost all state-funded homecare.

The Guardian

A year and a half ago, the firm held double-digit PC market shares in a dozen countries; today, it does so in 34.Alas, there is a tiny problem with Protect and Attack: the attack part is largely unprofitable.

The Economist

Mr Tata sold a number of unprofitable businesses and kicked the rest into shape.

The Economist

Egypt needs cheap housing, but building it is often unprofitable.

The Economist

It also operated under an enforced government mandate to provide an unprofitable rural air service that only worsened its financial condition.Faced with such a formidable task, Mr Tan set out to transform PAL into a flag carrier the nation could be proud of.

The Economist

The airline's two biggest problems are the power of its eight unions and the unprofitable flights previous governments pressed it to maintain to small, regional airports.

The Economist

The networks, then, are realising that their own, unprofitable cable ventures will do little to offset the fragmentation of both audiences and advertising dollars.

The Economist

Although it sold its mobile-phone operations in 2010, Toshiba's hidebound top managers have avoided exiting its unprofitable television and personal-computer businesses to rein in the conglomerate's sprawl.

The Economist

It may all be true, and there is certainly more pain to come as the latter continue trying to unwind unprofitable positions in the former.

The Economist

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When describing a business venture or investment, using "unprofitable" clearly indicates that it is not generating a financial gain and might be incurring losses. Use specific data to demonstrate the degree to which it is "unprofitable" to strengthen your argument.

Common error

Avoid considering only direct financial losses when assessing if something is "unprofitable". Account for opportunity costs: even if an activity breaks even, it might be considered "unprofitable" if the resources used could have generated more revenue elsewhere.

Linguistic Context

The word "unprofitable" functions primarily as an adjective. It modifies nouns to describe entities or activities that do not generate a profit, such as "unprofitable ventures" or "unprofitable businesses". Ludwig AI confirms the proper usage of this adjective through numerous examples.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

60%

Formal & Business

30%

Science

10%

Less common in

Academia

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The analysis reveals that "unprofitable" is a grammatically sound and very common adjective used to describe something not making a profit. Ludwig AI confirms this. It's primarily found in News & Media and Formal & Business contexts. Semantically related alternatives include "loss-making" and "nonviable". When writing, remember to consider opportunity costs beyond direct financial losses. While grammatically straightforward, its implications require careful consideration. In conclusion, "unprofitable" is a reliable term for indicating a lack of financial gain in diverse situations.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

loss-making

Emphasizes the aspect of generating losses rather than just not making a profit.

profitless

A more formal synonym directly indicating the absence of profit.

losing money

A more direct and simple way of saying "unprofitable".

nonviable

Highlights the inability of something to sustain itself financially.

financially unsustainable

Emphasizes the inability to maintain financial stability over time.

uneconomical

Focuses on the inefficiency and wastefulness from an economic perspective.

not cost-effective

Highlights that the costs outweigh the benefits or revenues.

non-revenue generating

Highlights the lack of income or revenue produced.

in the red

An idiomatic expression indicating debt or negative balance.

unremunerative

Focuses on the lack of adequate compensation or return.

FAQs

How to use "unprofitable" in a sentence?

You can use "unprofitable" to describe businesses, investments, or activities that do not make a profit. For example: "The company decided to close its "unprofitable" division."

What can I say instead of "unprofitable"?

You can use alternatives like "loss-making", "nonviable", or "uneconomical" depending on the context.

Which is correct, "unprofitable" or "not profitable"?

Both "unprofitable" and "not profitable" are correct and can be used interchangeably. "Unprofitable" is a single word, while "not profitable" is a phrase.

What's the difference between "unprofitable" and "expensive"?

"Unprofitable" means that something doesn't generate a profit, while "expensive" means that something costs a lot of money. An expensive investment isn't necessarily "unprofitable" if it generates high returns.