prosper

verb

pros·​per ˈprä-spər 

prospered; prospering ˈprä-sp(ə-)riŋ 

intransitive verb

1

: to succeed in an enterprise or activity

especially : to achieve economic success

2

: to become strong and flourishing

transitive verb

: to cause to succeed or thrive

Synonyms

• burgeon
• bourgeon
• flourish
• thrive

Examples of prosper in a Sentence

She prospered as a real estate agent.

He hopes his business will prosper.

No crop can prosper in this heat.

Recent Examples on the Web

Given how thoroughly Russia’s military, intelligence, and law enforcement elites have invested in the war in Ukraine and prospered from it, Putin’s successors will have little immediate incentive to make a clean break with the past. —Alexander Gabuev, Foreign Affairs, 17 Apr. 2025

And Haitian leaders are still pushing for help from citizens who have left the nation long ago and prospered. —Jacqueline Charles, Miami Herald, 4 Mar. 2025

This is why skills like process optimization, risk assessment, and regulatory compliance are in strong demand to keep innovation in check and to ensure businesses continue to prosper while genuinely benefiting humanity. —Rachel Wells, Forbes, 19 Mar. 2025

Moreover, the overall bullpen still figures to prosper. —Vahe Gregorian, Kansas City Star, 28 Mar. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Middle English prosperen, borrowed from Anglo-French prosperer "to promote, foster, be fortunate or successful," borrowed from Latin prosperāre "to cause to succeed, further" (Medieval Latin also, in passive, "to be granted success, succeed"), verbal derivative of prosperus "agreeable to one's wishes, successful, prosperous"

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense 1

Kids Definition

prosper

verb

pros·​per ˈpräs-pər 

prospered; prospering -p(ə-)riŋ 

1

: to succeed or make money in something one is doing

2

: thrive sense 1, flourish

3

: to cause to become prosperous