prosperous

adjective

pros·​per·​ous ˈprä-sp(ə-)rəs 

1

: auspicious, favorable

2

a

: marked by success or economic well-being

b

: enjoying vigorous and healthy growth : flourishing

prosperously adverb

prosperousness noun

Synonyms

• thriving
• prospering
• successful
• wealthy
• golden
• booming

Examples of prosperous in a Sentence

The company had a prosperous year.

He predicted a prosperous future.

Recent Examples on the Web

New Gaza will be fully committed to building a prosperous economy and to peaceful coexistence with their neighbors. —Shane Croucher, MSNBC Newsweek, 13 Oct. 2025

Sarah Keohane Williamson is the Chief Executive Officer of FCLTGlobal, a non-profit research organization whose mission is to focus capital on the long term to support a sustainable and prosperous economy. —Dave Smith, Fortune, 7 Oct. 2025

In the 1820s, Gregor MacGregor announced the discovery of Poyais, a lush and prosperous paradise in Central America. —Scott Neuman, NPR, 1 Oct. 2025

Nonetheless, the whole area was prosperous and urban. —Literary Hub, 30 Sep. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Middle English, from Latin prosperus "agreeable to one's wishes, successful, (of omens) propitious" (going back to *pro-sparo-, from pro- pro- entry 2 + *sparo-, going back to Indo-European *sph₁-ró- "thriving") + -ous -ous — more at speed entry 1

Note: An apparently traditional explanation is recorded by the fourth/fifth century grammarian Nonius Marcellus, namely, that prosperus was in origin from the phrase prō spērē "in conformity with one's hope" (spērē being taken as a variant of spē, ablative of spēs "hope"), though this may best be regarded as a folk etymology. It fails to account for the short e in prosperus.

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Kids Definition

prosperous

adjective

pros·​per·​ous ˈpräs-p(ə-)rəs 

1

: having or showing success or financial good fortune

2

: strong and healthy in growth

prosperously adverb