Meaning & use
prosper
Last updated
UK/ˈprɒs.pər/
US/ˈprɑː.spɚ/
Meanings
verbintransitiveformal
To do very well, especially in business or money.
Grammar: No object.
The shop prospered after it moved downtown.
Small businesses prosper in a stable economy.
They prospered through hard work.
verbintransitive
To grow strongly and stay healthy.
Grammar: Often of plants and animals.
Ferns prosper in damp shade.
The community prospered.
Word forms
| third person singular | prospers |
|---|---|
| past tense | prospered |
| past participle | prospered |
| -ing form | prospering |
Common combinations
- live long and prosper
- May you live long and prosper.
- prosper financially
- She prospered financially.
- continue to prosper
- The town continues to prosper.
- thrive and prosper
- The firm will thrive and prosper.
Synonyms and how they differ
- thrive
- Grow strongly, wider use.
- flourish
- Develop well.
- succeed
- Achieve aims.
- boom
- Informal, sudden success.
Opposites
Word family
- prosperity noun
- wealth and success
- prosperous adjective
- successful and rich
Commonly confused: prosper or prospect?
prosper vs prospect
A prospect is a possibility; prosper means succeed.
Practice
With good soil and rain, the village began to ___.
Choose one answer.
Prosper means do well. Perish means die.
Make it your own
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