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
And as the team assesses the availability of a trade, its franchise player spoke out about the challenge facing president of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski now that all of the prospective sellers see some growing desperation.
—Peter Chawaga, MSNBC Newsweek, 19 May 2025
Prosecutors say Ethos offered loans to prospective borrowers who paid upfront fees as collateral, but loan funds were often never provided.
—City News Service, San Diego Union-Tribune, 16 May 2025
How their prospective mayoral administration for the next four-year term would approach transportation in the city provided one the starkest contrasts, and punchiest exchanges, between Wu and Kraft in their first head-to-head matchup in a mayoral forum that was held Thursday night.
—Gayla Cawley, Boston Herald, 16 May 2025
With the onset of the warmer season, one fruiting shrub that is often sought yet rarely achieved successfully in the Kansas City area may once again be finding its way onto the wish list of prospective gardeners.
—Anthony Reardon, Kansas City Star, 16 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for prospective
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Peter Chawaga, MSNBC Newsweek, 19 May 2025
Prosecutors say Ethos offered loans to prospective borrowers who paid upfront fees as collateral, but loan funds were often never provided.
—City News Service, San Diego Union-Tribune, 16 May 2025
How their prospective mayoral administration for the next four-year term would approach transportation in the city provided one the starkest contrasts, and punchiest exchanges, between Wu and Kraft in their first head-to-head matchup in a mayoral forum that was held Thursday night.
—Gayla Cawley, Boston Herald, 16 May 2025
With the onset of the warmer season, one fruiting shrub that is often sought yet rarely achieved successfully in the Kansas City area may once again be finding its way onto the wish list of prospective gardeners.
—Anthony Reardon, Kansas City Star, 16 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for prospective
Cite this Entry
“Prospective.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/prospective. Accessed 24 May. 2025.
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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