Meaning & use
flourish
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Meanings
verbintransitive
To grow strongly, thrive or do very well, as a plant, business or person does in good conditions.
Grammar: No object: small shops flourish, never flourish something.
Patterns
- flourish in something
- flourish under someone
Tomatoes flourish in this warm, sunny corner of the garden.
Her small bakery began to flourish once the new office opened nearby.
Children tend to flourish when adults show patience.
verbtransitive
To wave or swing something in the air so that people notice it.
Grammar: Takes an object: he flourished a letter.
Patterns
- flourish something
The magician flourished a silk scarf and the coin vanished.
She flourished her ticket at the guard and hurried through the gate.
He flourished the trophy above his head for the cameras.
nouncountable
A bold, showy movement or detail done to attract attention or add style.
Grammar: Often with a: she signed with a flourish.
Patterns
- with a flourish
- a flourish of something
The waiter removed the lid with a flourish.
He signed his name with a large flourish at the end.
The speech ended on a dramatic flourish.
Word forms
| third person singular | flourishes |
|---|---|
| past tense | flourished |
| past participle | flourished |
| -ing form | flourishing |
| plural | flourishes |
Common combinations
- flourish in
- Many rare orchids flourish in humid forests.
- continue to flourish
- The local music scene continues to flourish.
- begin to flourish
- Trade began to flourish after the bridge was built.
- with a flourish
- She opened the door with a flourish and announced dinner.
- a flourishing business
- They run a flourishing business selling handmade soap.
- a final flourish
- The pianist added a final flourish to the piece.
Synonyms and how they differ
- thrive
- Thrive is almost interchangeable but stresses vigorous health or success, whereas flourish also carries an image of blooming and spreading.
- prosper
- Prosper is mostly about money and material success, while flourish also suits art, plants and ideas.
- bloom
- Bloom describes a plant producing flowers, or by extension a person at their best, which is narrower than flourish.
- boom
- Boom suggests sudden, rapid growth in business or population, whereas flourish suggests steady healthy growth.
Opposites
Word family
- flourishing adjective
- growing or doing very well
- flourishes noun
- showy gestures or decorative touches
Commonly confused: flourish or flourish?
flourish vs flourish
Do not confuse it with 'flour', the baking ingredient; the two words are unrelated in meaning today.
Practice
Which sentence uses 'flourish' to mean 'grow successfully'?
Choose one answer.
Only the second sentence describes healthy growth. The others use flourish for waving something or for a showy gesture.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “flourish”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.