fruitful

adjective

fruit·​ful ˈfrüt-fəl How to pronounce fruitful (audio)
Synonyms of fruitful
1
a
: yielding or producing fruit
fruitful soil
b
: conducive to an abundant yield
fruitful rain
2
: abundantly productive
a fruitful discussion
a fruitful career
fruitfully
ˈfrüt-fə-lē How to pronounce fruitful (audio)
adverb
fruitfulness noun

Synonyms of fruitful

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fertile, fecund, fruitful, prolific mean producing or capable of producing offspring or fruit.

fertile implies the power to reproduce in kind or to assist in reproduction and growth

fertile soil

; applied figuratively, it suggests readiness of invention and development.

a fertile imagination

fecund emphasizes abundance or rapidity in bearing fruit or offspring.

a fecund herd

fruitful adds to fertile and fecund the implication of desirable or useful results.

fruitful research

prolific stresses rapidity of spreading or multiplying by or as if by natural reproduction.

a prolific writer

Examples of fruitful in a Sentence

We had a fruitful discussion about the problems with the schedule. a very fruitful tree that gives us plenty of apples every year
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.
Tarasenko’s short time with the Panthers was fruitful. — Jordan McPherson, Miami Herald, 22 June 2026 Freezes caused by large cold fronts pushing into the state from arctic regions can ice over and deaden fruitful citrus trees. — Martin E. Comas, The Orlando Sentinel, 14 June 2026 Those poker lessons have proven to be particularly fruitful. — Bailey Bujnosek, InStyle, 20 June 2026 Meanwhile, her talks with the author about the direction the film should take proved to be much more fruitful, even if her own interactions with studios were not. — Elaina Patton, IndieWire, 16 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for fruitful

Word History

Etymology

Middle English fruitful, fruiteful, frutefull, from fruit, frute fruit entry 1 + -ful, -full -ful entry 1

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Time Traveler
The first known use of fruitful was in the 14th century

Phrases Containing fruitful

Rhymes for fruitful

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Browse Nearby Words

fruit fly
fruitful
fruitfully
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Cite this Entry

“Fruitful.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/fruitful. Accessed 7 Jul. 2026.

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Kids Definition

fruitful

adjective
fruit·​ful ˈfrüt-fəl How to pronounce fruitful (audio)
1
: yielding or producing fruit
2
a
: very productive
a fruitful soil
b
: bringing results
a fruitful idea
fruitfully
-fə-lē How to pronounce fruitful (audio)
adverb
fruitfulness noun

More from Merriam-Webster on fruitful

Nglish: Translation of fruitful for Spanish Speakers

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