Meaning & use
thrive in life
Last updated
Meaning
phrasefixed phrase
To grow, develop, and be successful or happy in your life.
Grammar: Used with a subject like people, children, or you; 'thrive' is intransitive and 'in life' shows the area.
Patterns
- thrive in life
- help someone thrive in life
With the right support, every child can thrive in life.
She moved to a new city and finally began to thrive in life.
Good friends and a healthy routine help you thrive in life.
Common combinations
- help someone thrive in life
- Education can help young people thrive in life.
- thrive in a new environment
- Plants thrive in a new environment with enough light.
- thrive in life and work
- The program aims to help graduates thrive in life and work.
Synonyms and how they differ
- flourish
- More formal and often used for plants or businesses; it suggests visible growth.
- prosper
- Focuses on financial or material success rather than overall happiness.
- succeed
- More general and neutral; it does not imply happiness or growth.
Opposites
Word family
- thriving adjective
- Growing strongly and doing well.
Commonly confused: thrive in life or strive?
thrive in life vs strive
'Strive' means to try very hard; 'thrive' means to grow and do well. They sound similar but have different meanings.
Practice
Choose the correct sentence.
Choose one answer.
'Thrive in life' is the natural phrase. 'Thrive on' means to enjoy or benefit from something (e.g., thrive on pressure), and 'thrive' does not take a direct object without a preposition here.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “thrive in life”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.