Word Pronunciation & Dictionary

gainful

/ɡˈeɪnfəl/

Word Rarity Very rare

Frequency: Zipf frequency 2.47 in modern English

Syllables: gain-ful
IPA: /ɡˈeɪnfəl/

11

Scrabble Score

7

Letters

2

Syllables

7

Unique Chars

Meaning

adj

adj

Disposed to taking advantage of.

adj

Troublesome; fractious; hard to handle.

adj

Providing gain; profitable.

Example Sentences

"How can we find gainful employment with dignity for the uneducated?"

Etymology

From gain (“against, contrary”) + -ful.

Word Breakdown

Suffix: gain

Inflected Forms

more gainful (comparative) most gainful (superlative) gainfull (alternative, archaic)

Derived Forms

gainfully gainfulness ungainful ungainfully

Synonyms

advantageous gainful gainsome lucrative lucriferous lucrific paying profitable remunerative

Antonyms

disadvantageous fruitless gainless improfitable loss-making nonlucrative nonpaying ungainful unlucrative unprofitable unremunerative

Rhymes With

painful disdainful

Questions

How do you pronounce gainful?: The recorded pronunciation is /ɡˈeɪnfəl/.
What does gainful mean?: Contrary.
Where does gainful come from?: From gain (“against, contrary”) + -ful.

How to pronounce gainful

Open the pronunciation page — Open the Speakur entry for “gainful”.
Read the phonetic spelling — Read the IPA spelling (/ɡˈeɪnfəl/) so you know which sounds to aim for.
Play the audio — Click Play to hear reference audio for “gainful”.
Repeat and practice — Say “gainful” aloud, matching stress and vowels until it feels natural.