Word forms: 3rd person singular presenttense prospers, present participle prospering, past tense, past participle prospered
verb
If people or businesses prosper, they are successful and do well.
[formal]
The high street banks continue to prosper. [VERB]
His teams have always prospered in cup competitions. [VERB]
Synonyms: succeed, advance, progress, thrive More Synonyms of prosper
prosper in British English
(ˈprɒspə)
verb
(usually intr)
to thrive, succeed, etc, or cause to thrive, succeed, etc in a healthy way
Word origin
C15: from Latin prosperāre to succeed, from prosperus fortunate, from pro-1 + spēs hope
prosper in American English
(ˈprɑspər)
verb intransitive
1.
to succeed, thrive, grow, etc. in a vigorous way
verb transitive
2. Archaic
to cause to prosper
Word origin
ME prosperen < MFr prosperer < L prosperare, to cause to prosper < prosperus, favorable < prospere, fortunately < pro spere < pro, according to (see pro-2) + stem of spes, hope < IE base *spēi-, to flourish, succeed > speed
Examples of 'prosper' in a sentence
prosper
For animals to survive and prosper, they often need to rely on others to find food and guard against predators.
Times, Sunday Times (2017)
For animals to survive and prosper, they often need to rely on others to find foodand guard against predators.
Times, Sunday Times (2017)
They can survive and prosper in isolation.
Times, Sunday Times (2015)
Tough economic times also mean that businesses need to perform that much better to grow and prosper.
Times, Sunday Times (2012)
Studies have shown that people prosper much better in employment than on handouts.
The Sun (2015)
So what do investment banks need to do to survive and prosper?
Times, Sunday Times (2012)
There is no secret sauce or magic pill that will make a church grow or prosper.
Christianity Today (2000)
It is only the people smugglers who prosper.
Times, Sunday Times (2015)
Other politicians in other countries have behaved worse and escaped to survive and prosper.
Times, Sunday Times (2007)
Seeing my son grow up and prosper is what matters most.
The Sun (2008)
Our shared objective must be to help social enterprises grow and prosper.
Times, Sunday Times (2006)
Good management armed with the skills to focus on untapped potential has enabled all these ten companies to grow and prosper.
Times, Sunday Times (2007)
The senior military and civil service prospered as well, together with a small middle class.
Grenville, J. A. S. The Collins History of the World in the 20th Century (1994)
With stronger economic policies and stricter financial discipline, the euro can survive and prosper.
Times, Sunday Times (2013)
This is a place in which they survive and prosper, this is their home.
Times, Sunday Times (2009)
Other people prosper and grow rich, and hold their paltry names high and dry above shame.
Elizabeth Gaskell North and South (1855)
In capitalist societies, the role of the government is to ensure that businesses grow and prosper.
Appelbaum, Richard P. Sociology (1995)
A major record company needs to have both to survive and prosper.
Times, Sunday Times (2006)
We survived and then prospered, but that experience has given me a real drive to help small businesses.
The Sun (2014)
By allowing an animal to survive and prosper in a particular environment, natural selection is an adaptive process.
Sanderson, Stephen K. Macrosociology: An Introduction to Human Societies (1995)
Animals need to adapt their bodies to survive and prosper in extreme conditions, as do cricketers their skills.
Times, Sunday Times (2015)
A sense of common purpose will not be enough to make an independent Scotland thrive and prosper.
Times, Sunday Times (2014)
So little owls survive and prosper because - well, because we just like them.
Times, Sunday Times (2010)
Far from destitution, Britain would undoubtedly thrive and prosper.
The Sun (2016)
If you know you can survive the lean times, you'll be well placed to prosper when things get better.
Times, Sunday Times (2008)
I want my lawn to thrive and prosper, and yet it won't.
Times, Sunday Times (2009)
In other languages
prosper
British English: prosper VERB
If people or businesses prosper, they are successful and do well.
His business continued to prosper.
American English: prosper
Brazilian Portuguese: prosperar
Chinese: 兴隆
European Spanish: prosperar
French: prospérer
German: gedeihen
Italian: prosperare
Japanese: 繁栄する
Korean: 번영하다
European Portuguese: prosperar
Latin American Spanish: prosperar
Chinese translation of 'prosper'
prosper
(ˈprɔspəʳ) (frm)
vi
[person, business, city]兴(興)隆 (xīnglóng)
(verb)
Definition
to be successful
The high street banks continue to prosper.
Synonyms
succeed
the skills and qualities needed to succeed
advance
The country has advanced from a rural society to an industrial power.
progress
He came round to see how our work was progressing.
thrive
Today his company continues to thrive.
make it (informal)
I have the talent to make it.
flower
Their relationship flowered.
get on
I asked how he was getting on.
do well
flourish
The plant is flourishing particularly well.
bloom
Not many economies bloomed in 1990.
make good
Both men are poor boys who have made good.
be fortunate
grow rich
fare well
Additional synonyms
in the sense of advance
The country has advanced from a rural society to an industrial power.
Synonyms
improve,
rise,
grow,
develop,
reform,
pick up,
progress,
thrive,
upgrade,
multiply,
prosper,
make strides
in the sense of bloom
Definition
to flourish or grow
Not many economies bloomed in 1990.
Synonyms
succeed,
flourish,
thrive,
prosper,
fare well
in the sense of flourish
Definition
to be active, successful, or widespread
The plant is flourishing particularly well.
Synonyms
grow,
thrive,
develop,
flower,
succeed,
get on,
bloom,
blossom,
prosper,
bear fruit,
be vigorous,
be in your prime
Synonyms of 'prosper'
prosper
Explore 'prosper' in the dictionary
Additional synonyms
in the sense of flower
Definition
to reach full growth or maturity
Their relationship flowered.
Synonyms
blossom,
grow,
develop,
progress,
mature,
thrive,
flourish,
bloom,
bud,
prosper
in the sense of get on
Definition
to make progress
I asked how he was getting on.
Synonyms
progress,
manage,
cope,
fare,
advance,
succeed,
make out (informal),
prosper,
cut it (informal),
get along
in the sense of make good
Both men are poor boys who have made good.
Synonyms
make it (informal),
succeed,
do well,
flourish,
be successful,
prosper,
arrive (informal),
make the grade (informal),
turn out well,
make your mark (informal),
do all right for yourself (informal)
in the sense of make it
Definition
to be successful
I have the talent to make it.
Synonyms
succeed,
be successful,
prosper,
be a success,
arrive (informal),
get on,
make good,
cut it (informal),
get ahead,
make the grade (informal),
crack it (informal),
make it big,
get somewhere,
distinguish yourself
in the sense of progress
Definition
to become more advanced or skilful
He came round to see how our work was progressing.