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 of prosperous

• 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

His mother, Mary Ann, came from a prosperous family of New Jersey undertakers, and taught in New York City’s public schools. — Julian Lucas, New Yorker, 22 June 2026

Born in 1944, Peter Asher grew up in a prosperous London family (his father was the endocrinologist who identified and named Munchausen syndrome; his mother was a professional oboe player). — Owen Gleiberman, Variety, 21 June 2026

In Manchester, generally agreed to be a prosperous and revitalized city, Burnham has been able to build a strong personal following without the pressures of national government. — Helen Lewis, The Atlantic, 19 June 2026

In general, the states doing well tend to be in New England or the western part of the Midwest and are somewhat prosperous. — Nicholas D. Kristof, Mercury News, 13 June 2026

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