phrasal verb · neutral

turn a profit

UK/tɜːn ə ˈprɒfɪt/US/tɜrn ə ˈprɑfɪt/tur·n a PRO·fit

task2speaking

to make a financial profit

Examples

The small café finally turned a profit after two years in business.

Investors hope the project will turn a profit within three years.

Despite heavy investment, the start‑up has yet to turn a profit.

Band 8 sentence

After restructuring costs were cut and demand rose, the manufacturer finally turned a profit in the third quarter.

Collocations

  • turn a profit + within/in/by
  • turn a profit + on an investment

Word family

turn a profit phrasal verbturned a profit verb (past)turning a profit verb (gerund)

Common mistakes

turn profitturn a profit

do a profitturn a profit / make a profit

Say it for a higher band

5make a profit6be profitable7+turn a profit

Synonyms

make a profit

Easily confused

make a profit

The company expects to make a profit next quarter.

Related words

Learn this word with the rest of its set, and get reminded at the right time.

In turn …

Learn it with its set