productive

adjective

pro·​duc·​tive prə-ˈdək-tiv How to pronounce productive (audio)
prō-
Synonyms of productivenext
1
: having the quality or power of producing especially in abundance
productive fishing waters
2
: effective in bringing about
investigating committees have been productive of much good—R. K. Carr
3
a
: yielding results, benefits, or profits
b
: yielding or devoted to the satisfaction of wants or the creation of utilities
4
: continuing to be used in the formation of new words or constructions
un- is a productive prefix
5
: raising mucus or sputum (as from the bronchi)
a productive cough
productively adverb
productiveness noun

Synonyms

See all Synonyms & Antonyms in Thesaurus 

Examples of productive in a Sentence

I had a very productive day. I am most productive in the morning. Some staff members are more productive than others.
Recent Examples on the Web In that context, Jackson-Davis is having one of the most productive Warriors rookie seasons in a decade. —Danny Emerman, The Mercury News, 5 Apr. 2024 Spring and summer are the most productive times of the year for many different inshore and offshore game fish, according to FishingBooker.com. —Jp Shaffer, Miami Herald, 4 Apr. 2024 For example, Congdon was involved in a study, in India, where tea pickers given glasses were more productive. —Gabrielle Emanuel, NPR, 3 Apr. 2024 Edwards-Helaire had some productive moments for the Chiefs last season while primarily serving in a backup role behind starter Isiah Pacheco. —Jesse Newell, Kansas City Star, 2 Apr. 2024 Here’s how to transform early transactional relationships into productive partnerships that foster long-term success. —John Jarosz, Forbes, 29 Mar. 2024 Kelly Cunningham, San Diego Institute for Economic Research YES: Unfortunately, as more productive people and businesses leave San Diego because of unaffordable housing, excessive taxes and out-of-balance living expenses, out-migration will continue. —Phillip Molnar, San Diego Union-Tribune, 29 Mar. 2024 Some of the most productive soils have a good balance of sand, clay and silt. —Brian Darby, Discover Magazine, 29 Mar. 2024 Overall, then, immigration appears to have been a big plus for U.S. economic growth, among other things expanding our productive capacity in a way that reduced the inflationary impact of Biden’s spending programs. —Paul Krugman, The Mercury News, 22 Mar. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'productive.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

1612, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of productive was in 1612

Phrases Containing productive

Dictionary Entries Near productive

production standard

productive

productive labor

See More Nearby Entries 

Cite this Entry

“Productive.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/productive. Accessed 18 Apr. 2024.

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Kids Definition

productive

adjective
pro·​duc·​tive prə-ˈdək-tiv How to pronounce productive (audio)
1
: having the power to produce plentifully
productive soil
productive fishing waters
2
: producing something
efforts productive of much good
3
: giving results
a productive meeting
productively adverb
productiveness noun

Medical Definition

productive

adjective
pro·​duc·​tive prə-ˈdək-tiv, prō- How to pronounce productive (audio)
: raising mucus or sputum (as from the bronchi)
a productive cough

More from Merriam-Webster on productive

Nglish: Translation of productive for Spanish Speakers

Britannica English: Translation of productive for Arabic Speakers

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