Lucre

/ˈl(j)uː.kə/

Synonyms for "lucre" (144 found)

Ranked by relevance and common usage.

Closest matches (29)

affluenceand penceassetsbottomless pursebulging pursecapital gainscashcirculating mediumcleanupclear profitcoinagecoined libertycold cashcurrencydividenddividendsdollarsdoughearningseasy circumstances

Strong matches (43)

embarras de richessesemergency moneyfilthy lucrefortunefractional currencyfundgaingainsgetgettingsgleaninggleaningsgoldgreenbacksgrossgross profithandsome fortunehard cashhard currencyhigh income
Show 16 more words
high tax brackethoardincomeindependenceinterestjackkalekillinglegal tenderlettucelootluxuriousnessmakingsmammonmanaged currencymaterial wealth
Noun(7 words)

Related words (72)

mazumamedium of exchangemintagemoneymoney to burnmoneybagsneat profitnecessity moneynetnet profitopulenceopulencypaper profitspelfpercentageperkperksperquisitepickingspossession
Show 37 more words
Noun(15 words)
moneymoolahmoral epithetnetnet incomenet profitpejorative termpelfprofitsscratchshekelssimoleonssugarwampumwealth

Choosing the right synonym

  • Closest matches in this entry: profit, affluence, and pence, assets, boodle.
  • Sentence evidence is available for lucre, so synonym choice can be checked against real usage rather than a flat word list.
  • Ranking signals come from wordnet, opengloss, moby, derived_reverse, and related lexical sources.

Synonym selection checklist

  • Match the part of speech before comparing meanings.
  • Check whether the synonym changes intensity, formality, or emotional tone.
  • Read the replacement inside the full sentence, not just beside "lucre".
  • Prefer the clearest word over the most unusual word when writing for speed or comprehension.

When not to replace "lucre"

Keep "lucre" when the sentence already sounds natural, when a synonym would add unintended emphasis, or when readers need the most familiar wording. A synonym should clarify or sharpen the message, not simply make the sentence look more varied.

If two options seem close, choose the one that best matches the audience and purpose of the sentence.

Replacement workflow

1. Preserve meaning

Choose a synonym only if it keeps the core idea of "lucre" intact in the sentence you are editing.

2. Tune tone

Check whether the replacement sounds more formal, casual, emotional, technical, or forceful than the original word.

3. Re-read context

Read the full sentence after the swap. Keep the synonym only when the sentence becomes clearer or more precise.

Review note: Synonym lists are ranked with lexical data and reviewed for practical writing value. Use the comparison notes, sentence evidence, and source labels together; a high-ranking synonym can still be wrong when the audience, register, or grammar changes.

Final fit check

After choosing a replacement for "lucre", read the sentence once for meaning and once for rhythm. The best synonym should feel natural in the full sentence, not only accurate in a word list.

If the synonym makes the sentence slower, vaguer, or more dramatic than intended, keep "lucre" or choose a simpler alternative from the closest-match group.

Related word relations

OpenGloss and ConceptNet supply richer edges like generalizations, collocations, and derivations.

4 relation types

More general

7 entries

More specific

7 entries
bribesembezzlementkickbacksmoral epithetpejorative labelprofitrevenue

Collocations

6 entries
base lucredirty lucregreed for lucreill-gotten lucrelucre motivepursuit of lucre

Derivations

1 entries

Sample sentences

4 total sentences available.

Tatoeba + Wiktionary

A Biſhop then muſt be blameleſſe, the huſband of one wife, vigilant, sober, of good behauiour, giuen to hoſpitalitie, apt to teach; / Not giuen to wine, no ſtriker, not greedy of filthy lucre, but patient, not a brawler, not couetous; […]

Source: wiktionary

By-ends and Silver-Demas both agree; / One calls, the other runs, that he may be / A ſharer in his lucre; ſo theſe two / Take up in this World, and no further go.

Source: wiktionary

When a man bargains for the price of maintaining such or such principles, or of endeavouring to make out such or such a case, without believing in the soundness of the principles or the truth of the case; such a man, whether he touch the cash (or paper-money) before or after the performance of his work, and whether he work with his tongue or his pen, may, I think be fairly charged with seeking after "base lucre;" for he, in such case, manifestly sells not only the use of his talents, but his sincerity into the bargain, and drives a traffic as nearly allied to soul-selling as any thing in this world can be; […]

Source: wiktionary

[…] [I]t's only fair that you should pocket the lucre. I've had my share already.

Source: wiktionary

Common questions

What are the closest synonyms for "lucre"?

Closest matches include profit, affluence, and pence, assets, boodle.

How should I check whether a synonym fits "lucre"?

Compare the replacement against real sentence context. This entry includes sample sentences so you can check tone, grammar, and meaning before swapping words.

More for "lucre"