prospective
adjective
pro·spec·tive
prə-ˈspek-tiv 
also ˈprä-ˌspek-,
prō-ˈspek-,
prä-ˈspek-
1
: relating to or effective in the future
prospectively
adverb
Examples of prospective in a Sentence
In 2005 [Jerry] Colangelo arranged face-to-face sit-downs with every prospective national team player, to hear in their own words why they wanted to represent their country.
—
Alexander Wolff, Sports Illustrated, 28 July 2008
All too often in the post-Vietnam past—the first Gulf War, for example—the default position of the Democratic Party has been to assume that any prospective use of U.S. military power would be immoral.
—Joe Klein, Time, 21 Aug. 2006
All of these arguments were prospective, all anticipated the role that public opinion would play in future constitutional disputes.
—Jack N. Rakove, Original Meanings … , 1996
Alexander Wolff, Sports Illustrated, 28 July 2008
All too often in the post-Vietnam past—the first Gulf War, for example—the default position of the Democratic Party has been to assume that any prospective use of U.S. military power would be immoral.
—Joe Klein, Time, 21 Aug. 2006
All of these arguments were prospective, all anticipated the role that public opinion would play in future constitutional disputes.
—Jack N. Rakove, Original Meanings … , 1996
Recent Examples on the Web
For weeks, Trump has been complaining about the gag order that the judge imposed on him before the start of the trial, prohibiting him from making public statements about potential witnesses or prospective jurors.
—Eric Lach, The New Yorker, 24 Apr. 2024
The order bars Trump from commenting or causing others to comment on potential witnesses in the case, prospective jurors, court staff, lawyers in the district attorney's office and the relatives of any counsel or court staffer.
—Graham Kates, CBS News, 23 Apr. 2024
In addition to the transcripts, the court website also includes various documents from the hush-money trial, including the 42 questions asked of prospective jurors during jury selection.
—Alan Feuer, New York Times, 23 Apr. 2024
Attorneys are allowed to remove a certain number of prospective jurors from a case, but are not allowed to do so because of their race, gender, or religion.
—Salvador Hernandez, Los Angeles Times, 23 Apr. 2024
Prosecutors and defense lawyers are allowed to strike prospective jurors without giving a reason but are barred from doing so because of ethnicity, gender, race or religion.
—Janelle Griffith, NBC News, 23 Apr. 2024
The judge in the University of Idaho student murder case has lifted the court’s order prohibiting contact with prospective jurors and ruled that Bryan Kohberger’s defense team can continue its surveys, without modification, in its effort to justify a change of venue.
—Angela Palermo, Idaho Statesman, 22 Apr. 2024
Other prospective jurors offered a more flattering view.
—Peter Charalambous, ABC News, 22 Apr. 2024
On March 26, Trump was barred from commenting on potential witnesses in the case, prospective jurors, court staff, lawyers in Bragg's office and the relatives of any counsel or court staffer — but was free to attack Bragg and Merchan.
—Graham Kates, CBS News, 15 Apr. 2024
Eric Lach, The New Yorker, 24 Apr. 2024
The order bars Trump from commenting or causing others to comment on potential witnesses in the case, prospective jurors, court staff, lawyers in the district attorney's office and the relatives of any counsel or court staffer.
—Graham Kates, CBS News, 23 Apr. 2024
In addition to the transcripts, the court website also includes various documents from the hush-money trial, including the 42 questions asked of prospective jurors during jury selection.
—Alan Feuer, New York Times, 23 Apr. 2024
Attorneys are allowed to remove a certain number of prospective jurors from a case, but are not allowed to do so because of their race, gender, or religion.
—Salvador Hernandez, Los Angeles Times, 23 Apr. 2024
Prosecutors and defense lawyers are allowed to strike prospective jurors without giving a reason but are barred from doing so because of ethnicity, gender, race or religion.
—Janelle Griffith, NBC News, 23 Apr. 2024
The judge in the University of Idaho student murder case has lifted the court’s order prohibiting contact with prospective jurors and ruled that Bryan Kohberger’s defense team can continue its surveys, without modification, in its effort to justify a change of venue.
—Angela Palermo, Idaho Statesman, 22 Apr. 2024
Other prospective jurors offered a more flattering view.
—Peter Charalambous, ABC News, 22 Apr. 2024
On March 26, Trump was barred from commenting on potential witnesses in the case, prospective jurors, court staff, lawyers in Bragg's office and the relatives of any counsel or court staffer — but was free to attack Bragg and Merchan.
—Graham Kates, CBS News, 15 Apr. 2024
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'prospective.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near prospective
Cite this Entry
“Prospective.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/prospective. Accessed 2 May. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
prospective
adjective
pro·spec·tive
prə-ˈspek-tiv
also ˈprä-ˌspek-,
prō-ˈspek-,
prä-ˈspek-
1
: likely to come about
prospective benefits
2
: likely to become
a prospective buyer
Medical Definition
prospective
adjective
pro·spec·tive
prə-ˈspek-tiv
: relating to or being a study (as of the incidence of disease) that starts with the present condition of a population of individuals and follows them into the future compare retrospective
Legal Definition
prospective
adjective
pro·spec·tive
prə-ˈspek-tiv, ˈprä-ˌspek-
1
: relating to or effective in the future
a statute's prospective effect
2
: likely to come about : expected to happen
prospective inability to perform the contract
3
: likely to be or become
a prospective buyer
prospectively
adverb
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