fruitful

adjective

fruit·​ful ˈfrüt-fəl 

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 

adverb

fruitfulness noun

Synonyms

• cornucopian
• fat
• fecund
• fertile
• fructuous
• lush
• luxuriant
• productive
• prolific
• rich

Choose the Right Synonym for fruitful

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

The 1,000-mile journey from Fargo, N.D., to Frisco, Texas, has been fruitful and fulfilling for North Dakota State football. —Scott Dochterman, The Athletic, 6 Jan. 2025

So, looking amidst the wreckage in healthcare and consumer staples could prove fruitful, particularly if the economy disappoints or the artificial intelligence wave hits some turbulence. —Bill Stone, Forbes, 28 Dec. 2024

December proved to be a fruitful month as the Senate unanimously approved the measure and the House voted 367 to 33, sending the bill to President Biden’s desk. —Ashleigh Fields, The Hill, 24 Dec. 2024

That mechanism certainly proved fruitful for actress Blake Lively in finding proof of a smear campaign laid out in emails in her dispute with her This Ends With Us director Justin Baldoni. —Mike Fleming Jr, Deadline, 22 Dec. 2024

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

Phrases Containing fruitful

• self-fruitful

Kids Definition

fruitful

adjective

fruit·​ful ˈfrüt-fəl 

1

: yielding or producing fruit

2

a

: very productive

a fruitful soil

b

: bringing results

a fruitful idea

fruitfully

-fə-lē 

adverb

fruitfulness noun