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

• thrive
• flourish

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

Peas take nitrogen from the air and fix it into the soil, which produces a natural fertilizer that helps spinach and other plants grow and prosper. —Heather Bien, Southern Living, 18 Oct. 2025

Steve Lang, chief executive officer of Mon Cheri Bridals and chair of the North American Formal Apparel Association, will host a three-day workshop in Chicago to advise stores how to prosper and be competitive in this economy. —Rosemary Feitelberg, Footwear News, 14 Oct. 2025

Investors assume the current leaders will remain dominant, that even the laggards will prosper, and that any company with a small chance of massive success is worth backing. —Yun Li, CNBC, 13 Oct. 2025

Of all the fandoms, the Swifties have persevered and prospered. —Choire Sicha, CNN Money, 6 Oct. 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