Lucrative

adjective

Frequency

Medium

CEFR Level

Neutral

Domain

Profit

Definition

1. Producing a lot of money.
2. Profitable.

Context Alive

He had been working as a teacher for years but always struggled with money. When a friend offered him a lucrative position at a tech company, he couldn’t believe the salary. It was three times what he had been earning before.

Meanings

1 meaning

1 Producing a Lot of Money (Adjective) Very Common ▼

This meaning is about something that brings in a lot of money. Imagine a small bakery that starts selling cakes online and suddenly gets thousands of orders — what began as a hobby has become a lucrative business. This is describing something highly profitable. You might hear “she turned down a lucrative job offer to follow her passion” or someone could say “real estate can be extremely lucrative if you invest wisely.” Or picture a football player signing a lucrative contract worth millions, making headlines around the world. The word carries a strong sense of financial success. ✏️ Lucrative is almost always used for businesses, jobs, deals, or investments — not for everyday small earnings.

Vivid Example

She started selling handmade candles from her kitchen as a side project. Within a year, it had grown into a surprisingly lucrative business with customers all over the country. She eventually quit her day job to focus on it full-time.

Examples from the Street

“He left teaching for a more lucrative career in finance.”

He quit education for a job in banking that paid significantly more money

“Selling online courses turned out to be incredibly lucrative.”

Creating and selling digital lessons ended up making a huge amount of money

“That’s a lucrative deal — don’t let it slip away.”

That arrangement will bring in serious profit — don’t miss the opportunity

Common Patterns

a lucrative career/job/profession → a line of work that pays very well

a lucrative deal/contract → a business agreement that brings in a lot of money

a lucrative business/market/industry → a commercial area that generates high profits

a lucrative opportunity → a chance to make significant money

highly/incredibly/extremely lucrative → emphasising just how profitable something is

prove (to be) lucrative → turn out to be profitable over time

Collocations

3 collocations

lucrative deal

an agreement that brings in a lot of money

lucrative market

a sector where there's lots of money to be made

highly lucrative

extremely profitable

Example Sentences

12 examples

She gave up a lucrative career in law to follow her passion for photography

She walked away from a very well-paid position in the legal profession to pursue what she truly loved — taking pictures.

The athlete signed a lucrative deal with a major sportswear brand worth millions

The sports star agreed to a hugely profitable agreement with a big clothing company that was valued in the millions.

The tech sector remains one of the most lucrative industries in the world

The technology field continues to be one of the highest-earning commercial sectors on the planet.

He turned down a lucrative opportunity abroad because he didn’t want to leave his family

He rejected a chance to make excellent money in another country because he wasn’t willing to be apart from his loved ones.

Renting out properties in the city centre has become incredibly lucrative

Letting flats in the heart of town has turned into an enormously profitable venture.

What started as a hobby selling handmade candles online proved to be surprisingly lucrative

What began as a pastime creating and selling homemade candles on the internet turned out to be unexpectedly profitable.

The drug trade is a lucrative business, which is exactly why it’s so difficult to eliminate

Dealing in illegal substances generates enormous profits, which is precisely why it’s nearly impossible to stamp out.

She landed a highly lucrative consulting role that paid three times her previous salary

She secured an extremely well-paid advisory position that brought in triple what she used to earn.

The lucrative market for electric vehicles is attracting investment from every major car manufacturer

The highly profitable sector for battery-powered cars is drawing financial backing from all the leading automobile makers.

Influencer marketing has become a lucrative profession for people with large online followings

Promoting brands through social media has turned into a very well-paid line of work for individuals with big digital audiences.

Learner Examples

★

Private tutoring can be a lucrative side income for teachers, especially in subjects like English and mathematics where demand is always high

Giving one-to-one lessons outside school hours can be a highly profitable extra earning stream for educators, particularly in disciplines where parents are always looking for extra help.

★

Many graduates choose lucrative careers over their true interests, only to realise years later that money alone doesn’t bring fulfilment

A lot of university leavers pick well-paid jobs instead of following what they’re genuinely passionate about, only to discover much later that a big salary on its own doesn’t make you happy.