prospect 1 of 2

1
as in view
all that can be seen from a certain point gazing at the wide prospect spread out before me

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2
3
as in possibility
something that can develop or become actual one highly desirable prospect for the city is a major-league franchise

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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

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prospect

2 of 2

verb

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

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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

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of prospect
Noun
But today, Brightline West’s prospects are much more doubtful. Marc Joffe, Oc Register, 16 Oct. 2025 Reaching a lasting accommodation between Israelis and Palestinians remains a distant prospect. Bloomberg Opinion, Twin Cities, 16 Oct. 2025
Verb
Los Angeles Angels prospect Rio Foster was hospitalized after a vehicle crash early Friday morning, the team said. Chantz Martin, FOXNews.com, 6 Sep. 2025 In 2027, the company plans a prospecting mission to one of their target spots to analyze dirt samples. Jeremy Bogaisky, Forbes.com, 2 Sep. 2025 See All Example Sentences for prospect
Recent Examples of Synonyms for prospect
Noun
  • Rowling continues to speak out and be drawn into online battles about her views, but the controversies don’t seem to be affecting the star power behind new Potter projects.
    JSTOR Daily, JSTOR Daily, 12 Oct. 2025
  • Cromwell said the fight started with spectators arguing over someone standing up and blocking the view of the game for other fans.
    Ed Lavandera, CNN Money, 11 Oct. 2025
Noun
  • But over the weekend, the Japan Times reported that the main opposition Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan (CDP) planned to seek Komeito’s backing for a joint prime ministerial candidate.
    Lim Hui Jie, CNBC, 15 Oct. 2025
  • Dark matter candidates, like weakly interacting massive particles (WIMPS), might connect to light via intermediate particles such as the top quark and Higgs boson.
    Chris Young, Interesting Engineering, 14 Oct. 2025
Noun
  • Islamabad is now more likely to consider Delhi’s growing friendliness with the Taliban to harm Pakistan’s interests a real possibility, regardless of Delhi’s actual intentions.
    Happymon Jacob, Time, 16 Oct. 2025
  • But the possibility of a rookie second-rounder helping a hapless franchise to the bottom of the Play-In Tournament is too low stakes.
    Fred Katz, New York Times, 16 Oct. 2025
Noun
  • But there is growing anticipation inside and outside the club that the coming weeks could mark the onset of historic change at the Santiago Bernabeu.
    Dermot Corrigan, New York Times, 16 Oct. 2025
  • Fans, many dressed in the artist’s merchandise or girly pink outfits, hum with anticipation.
    Isabela Raygoza, Billboard, 16 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • The researchers noted that torsional loading is not as strongly associated with injury risk as vertical loading, but future work may explore whether improved stroller design or posture cues could mitigate those twisting forces.
    Daniella Gray, MSNBC Newsweek, 13 Oct. 2025
  • While some diseases, like seasonal allergies, asthma, and autoimmune diseases, are known to cause eosinophilia, or an abnormally high number of these cells, the role of eosinophilia in chronic pain hasn’t been well explored.
    New Atlas, New Atlas, 13 Oct. 2025
Noun
  • Joining a Blue Jays rotation that appeared more built for the regular season slog, Bieber held playoff potential.
    Mitch Bannon, New York Times, 16 Oct. 2025
  • The researchers compared both configurations to test the vitamin’s catalytic performance and long-term potential.
    Aamir Khollam, Interesting Engineering, 16 Oct. 2025
Noun
  • But in the limited engagement of October, every team is strong enough to upend expectations.
    Tyler Kepner, New York Times, 16 Oct. 2025
  • Furthermore, big banks — bellwethers for economic activity — such as JPMorgan Chase, Citi and Goldman Sachs, beat earnings expectations, suggesting that fundamentals are still sound.
    Yeo Boon Ping, CNBC, 15 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • Salee and Sprinker's bodies were found weighted down in a nearby river in May 1969, the same month Brudos' home was searched following a tip from a college student.
    Emily Blackwood, PEOPLE, 11 Oct. 2025
  • OpenAI appears to be trying to position ChatGPT as a version of this universal interface, not through a browser, but by integrating third-party apps directly into the chatbot so users can search, shop, plan travel, and manage files without ever leaving the conversation.
    Beatrice Nolan, Fortune, 11 Oct. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Prospect.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/prospect. Accessed 17 Oct. 2025.

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