prospective

adjective

pro·​spec·​tive prə-ˈspek-tiv How to pronounce prospective (audio)
 also  ˈprä-ˌspek-,
prō-ˈspek-,
prä-ˈspek-
1
: relating to or effective in the future
2
a
: likely to come about : expected
the prospective benefits of this law
b
: likely to be or become
a prospective mother
prospectively adverb

Example Sentences

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
Recent Examples on the Web If the prospective donor is a match, they are put on the veterans’ transplant donor program and undergo a comprehensive medical evaluation. Ashley Carnahan, Fox News, 29 May 2023 For financial markets, what matters most isn’t the details of any prospective deal, but that a deal happens, taking a U.S. default off the table while also avoiding a sudden drop in government outlays for items such as Social Security payments that could damage the economy in its own right. WSJ, 26 May 2023 The sharp drop in qualified educators has led the district of charter schools on Detroit's eastside to launch an ambitious new promise to prospective hires: Teachers deemed highly qualified will be paid $100,000, about $40,000 more than teachers are paid now on average at the K-8 school district. Detroit Free Press, 25 May 2023 Shortly after, prospective pledges at other universities with large Greek life populations, including Auburn University and Clemson University, began capitalizing on the internet’s fascination with the Bama Rush process and documented their own rush experience as well. Jacqueline Weiss, Peoplemag, 24 May 2023 Regardless, prospective buyers should note that there’s nothing particularly new about these chips. Monica Chin, The Verge, 23 May 2023 And on that front, prospective Grenadier buyers can opt for pre-configured builds oriented toward either creature comforts or off-road acumen. Ezra Dyer, Car and Driver, 18 May 2023 And to purchase one, prospective shoppers must first join a waitlist. Alex Chun, Smithsonian Magazine, 4 May 2023 Once members, and prospective members, know about it. Jenn Mcmillen, Forbes, 20 Apr. 2023 See More

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.

Word History

Etymology

see prospect entry 1

First Known Use

1788, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of prospective was in 1788

Dictionary Entries Near prospective

Cite this Entry

“Prospective.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/prospective. Accessed 4 Jun. 2023.

Kids Definition

prospective

adjective
pro·​spec·​tive prə-ˈspek-tiv How to pronounce prospective (audio)
 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 How to pronounce prospective (audio)
: 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
prospectively adverb

Legal Definition

prospective

adjective
pro·​spec·​tive prə-ˈspek-tiv, ˈprä-ˌspek- How to pronounce prospective (audio)
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
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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