Meaning & use
the prodigal son
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Meanings
nounsingularreligion
In a Bible story, a son who wastes his money, leaves home, and later comes back in shame.
Grammar: Usually written with a capital P and used with 'the': the prodigal son returned home.
Patterns
- the prodigal son returns
- the parable of the prodigal son
- like the prodigal son
The parable of the prodigal son teaches lessons about forgiveness.
In the story, the prodigal son spends everything and ends up feeding pigs.
His father welcomes the prodigal son home with a feast.
nounsingularfigurative
A person who leaves home or a group, lives recklessly, and then comes back.
Grammar: Used figuratively and often with 'the'; the plural 'prodigal sons' is possible but less common.
Patterns
- return like the prodigal son
- welcome someone back like the prodigal son
- a modern prodigal son
After ten years abroad, he came back like the prodigal son.
The club welcomed its prodigal son back with open arms.
She joked that her brother was the family's prodigal son.
Word forms
| plural | prodigal sons |
|---|
Common combinations
- the parable of the prodigal son
- The minister preached on the parable of the prodigal son.
- return like the prodigal son
- He returned like the prodigal son, hoping for forgiveness.
- welcome back the prodigal son
- The team welcomed back the prodigal son after his years away.
- a modern prodigal son
- The film tells of a modern prodigal son who leaves his small town.
Synonyms and how they differ
- wastrel
- A wastrel is someone who wastes money, but it does not carry the idea of returning home and being forgiven.
- runaway
- A runaway has left home, but the word says nothing about wasting money or coming back.
Word family
- prodigal adjective
- wasteful with money; also used alone to describe such a person
- prodigality noun
- the habit of spending or wasting too much
Commonly confused: the prodigal son or prodigy? the prodigal son or prodigious?
the prodigal son vs prodigy
A prodigy is a young person with amazing talent, while 'prodigal' means wasteful with money.
the prodigal son vs prodigious
Prodigious means very large or impressive, not wasteful; it is a different word with a similar sound.
Practice
What does 'the prodigal son' most often suggest in everyday use?
Choose one answer.
The phrase refers to leaving and returning after reckless living. 'Extremely talented' describes a prodigy, and the other options reverse the meaning.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “the prodigal son”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.