gainful

adjective

gain·​ful ˈgān-fəl How to pronounce gainful (audio)
Synonyms of gainfulnext
: productive of gain : profitable
gainful employment
gainfully adverb
gainfulness noun

Examples of gainful in a Sentence

graduated from school and went looking for gainful employment
Recent Examples on the Web
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.
Those humans who currently get degrees in philosophy tend to find gainful employment not because organizations need philosophers, but because companies want people who have strong writing skills, can do analyses, think in abstractions, and have heightened communication skills. Lance Eliot, Forbes.com, 22 May 2026 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 See All Example Sentences for gainful

Word History

First Known Use

1553, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of gainful was in 1553

Cite this Entry

“Gainful.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/gainful. Accessed 31 May. 2026.

Kids Definition

gainful

adjective
gain·​ful ˈgān-fəl How to pronounce gainful (audio)
: producing gain : making money
gainful employment
gainfully adverb
gainfulness noun

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