thrive

verb

ˈthrīv 

thrived or throve ˈthrōv  ; thrived also thriven ˈthri-vən  ; thriving ˈthrī-viŋ 

intransitive verb

1

: to grow vigorously : flourish

thriving emotionally/intellectually/spiritually

Many annuals and perennials need plenty of sunlight to thrive.

—Lauren David

2

: to gain in wealth or possessions : prosper

One restaurant thriving as lower income consumers pull back is Olive Garden.

—Francisco Velasquez

3

: to progress toward or realize a goal despite or because of circumstances

thrives under pressure

—often used with on

thrives on conflict

thriver

ˈthrī-vər 

noun

Synonyms of thrive

• flourish
• prosper

Examples of thrive in a Sentence

these plants thrive with relatively little sunlight

going to a school for gifted students will help him thrive as a musical prodigy

Recent Examples on the Web

For a series built around the unsettling idea of collective perfection, Pluribus works because each department thrived in the chaos of creation. — Deadline, 7 Aug. 2026

The answer may determine which leaders thrive in the decade ahead. — Gerald J. Leonard, Forbes.com, 6 Aug. 2026

This new agency should be charged with a mission to keep families together, support all our communities to thrive, and uphold our rights—not attack them. — Naureen Shah, Time, 6 Aug. 2026

But Milwaukee Avenue, the Northern border of the plaza, mostly is boarded up or covered with harsh metallic grates, even as that street thrives to the west, having been reinvented as the Hipster Highway, the epicenter of bike-lane Chicago. — The Editorial Board, Chicago Tribune, 6 Aug. 2026

Word History

Etymology

Middle English, from Old Norse thrīfask, probably reflexive of thrīfa to grasp

First Known Use

12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing thrive

• thrive on

Rhymes for thrive

• dive
• drive
• five
• hive
• jive
• live
• strive
• alive
• archive
• arrive
• beehive
• connive

Kids Definition

thrive

verb

ˈthrīv 

thrived or throve ˈthrōv  ; thrived also thriven ˈthriv-ən  ; thriving ˈthrī-viŋ 

1

: to grow vigorously : do well : flourish

2

: to gain in wealth or possessions : prosper