Synonyms of prospect

prospect 1 of 2

noun

ˈprä-ˌspekt 

1

as in view

all that can be seen from a certain point

gazing at the wide prospect spread out before me

Synonyms & Similar Words

• view
• panorama
• perspective
• outlook
• scenery
• landscape
• vista
• command
• sight
• lookout
• scene
• visual field
• ken

2

as in candidate

one who seeks an office, honor, position, or award

a good prospect for the position of auditor

Synonyms & Similar Words

• candidate
• applicant
• contender
• hopeful
• expectant
• aspirant
• seeker
• competitor
• campaigner
• nominee
• contestant
• entrant
• qualifier
• favorite
• applier
• entry
• claimant
• crown prince
• pretender
• favorite son
• running mate
• stalking horse
• spoiler
• dark horse

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• incumbent
• officeholder
• awardee
• noncandidate
• inductee
• honoree
• dropout

3

as in possibility

something that can develop or become actual

one highly desirable prospect for the city is a major-league franchise

Synonyms & Similar Words

• possibility
• potential
• potentiality
• likelihood
• capability
• probability
• eventuality
• potency
• latency

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• reality
• certainty
• actuality

4

as in anticipation

the act or state of looking forward to some occurrence

the prospect of a quiet, restful Sunday ended when our basement flooded

Synonyms & Similar Words

• anticipation
• expectation
• expectancy
• contemplation
• expectance
• dread
• apprehension
• alarm
• misgiving
• foreboding

prospect

2 of 2

verb

ˈprä-ˌspekt 

as in to explore

to go into or range over for purposes of discovery

soon all manner of people had arrived in the valley to prospect it for gold

Synonyms & Similar Words

• explore
• search
• hunt
• probe
• skirr
• scout
• discover
• disclose
• reconnoiter
• reveal
• fathom
• unearth
• plumb
• sound

Synonym Chooser

How does the noun prospect differ from other similar words?

Some common synonyms of prospect are anticipation, foretaste, and outlook. While all these words mean "an advance realization of something to come," prospect implies expectation of a particular event, condition, or development of definite interest or concern.

the prospect of a quiet weekend

When might anticipation be a better fit than prospect?

The words anticipation and prospect are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, anticipation implies a prospect or outlook that involves advance suffering or enjoyment of what is foreseen.

the anticipation of her arrival

Where would foretaste be a reasonable alternative to prospect?

The synonyms foretaste and prospect are sometimes interchangeable, but foretaste implies an actual though brief or partial experience of something forthcoming.

the frost was a foretaste of winter

When could outlook be used to replace prospect?

Although the words outlook and prospect have much in common, outlook suggests a forecasting of the future.

a favorable outlook for the economy

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of prospect

Noun

Some Vance allies think the Iran War could scupper his prospects. —Ben Smith, semafor.com, 28 Apr. 2026

Both were high school all-state players and top-200 national prospects. —Todd Holcomb, AJC.com, 28 Apr. 2026

Verb

From a robot that can handwrite hundreds of real estate prospecting cards in minutes to a digital consultant that can narrow down thousands of mortgage options for a client, artificial intelligence has finally arrived in the real estate industry. —Amancai Biraben, Oc Register, 6 Apr. 2026

Elements of the vision unveiled by Isaacman and other NASA officials last week, such as deep space nuclear propulsion, nuclear reactors on the Moon, and prospecting for lunar resources, will require significant investment in new space technology. —Stephen Clark, ArsTechnica, 3 Apr. 2026