1
as in flourishes
to grow vigorously
these plants thrive with relatively little sunlight
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
2
as in succeeds
to reach a desired level of accomplishment
going to a school for gifted students will help him thrive as a musical prodigy
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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 thrives
One of the most influential explanations for why desire thrives (or declines) over time comes from self-expansion theory, developed by psychologists Arthur and Elaine Aron, which argues that humans are motivated to grow, learn and broaden their sense of self throughout life.
—
Mark Travers, Forbes.com, 14 June 2026
Another plant that thrives in the summer heat is the black-eyed Susan (Rudbeckia).
—Cori Sears, The Spruce, 13 June 2026
Then unseasonal rains in January exposed plants to early blight, fungal disease that thrives in wet conditions.
—Bloomberg, Mercury News, 12 June 2026
House of Leaves grounded that fear of the unknown in the domestic space, which has always been where horror thrives.
—Roxana Hadadi, Vulture, 12 June 2026
This herb thrives in well-draining, sunny spots and tolerates drought once established.
—Brandee Gruener, Southern Living, 11 June 2026
This resilient perennial is wonderfully low-maintenance and thrives in continuously moist, even boggy, soil.
—Rachel Silva, Martha Stewart, 11 June 2026
Go Shopping Downtown Baraboo thrives as a shopping destination, with dozens of businesses packed into a few blocks.
—Midwest Living, 11 June 2026
Gritty thrives in the center of the Venn diagram connecting these tensions.
—Arati Menon, Condé Nast Traveler, 7 June 2026
Mark Travers, Forbes.com, 14 June 2026
Another plant that thrives in the summer heat is the black-eyed Susan (Rudbeckia).
—Cori Sears, The Spruce, 13 June 2026
Then unseasonal rains in January exposed plants to early blight, fungal disease that thrives in wet conditions.
—Bloomberg, Mercury News, 12 June 2026
House of Leaves grounded that fear of the unknown in the domestic space, which has always been where horror thrives.
—Roxana Hadadi, Vulture, 12 June 2026
This herb thrives in well-draining, sunny spots and tolerates drought once established.
—Brandee Gruener, Southern Living, 11 June 2026
This resilient perennial is wonderfully low-maintenance and thrives in continuously moist, even boggy, soil.
—Rachel Silva, Martha Stewart, 11 June 2026
Go Shopping Downtown Baraboo thrives as a shopping destination, with dozens of businesses packed into a few blocks.
—Midwest Living, 11 June 2026
Gritty thrives in the center of the Venn diagram connecting these tensions.
—Arati Menon, Condé Nast Traveler, 7 June 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for thrives
Verb
-
Basil flourishes in full sun and moist, well-draining soil.—
Brandee Gruener,
Southern Living,
3 May 2026
-
Every stentorian chord became a hammer blow, flourishes intensified into fusillades, a tense pause into an apocalypse.—
Justin Davidson,
Vulture,
29 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Wray offers additional support beyond the classroom that includes early morning tutoring sessions with a commitment and passion to help students grasp complex material with a proactive approach to ensure every student succeeds.—
Andy Humbles,
Nashville Tennessean,
11 Dec. 2025
-
Kieryn’s succeeds where many have not.—
Emily Temple,
Literary Hub,
11 Dec. 2025
Verb
-
That is why Florida Republicans are taking the lead to make sure the state prospers as AI advances, instead of letting Silicon Valley write the rules.—
Brendan Steinhauser,
Sun Sentinel,
1 Apr. 2026
-
Conditions Boxwood prospers when it is grown in full sun to part shade.—
Lauren Dunec Hoang,
Better Homes & Gardens,
9 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
The achievement arrives amid broader industry efforts to develop viable electric and hybrid propulsion for aviation.—
Chris Young,
Interesting Engineering,
10 June 2026
-
Helado Tropical, the duo’s debut album, arrives July 17 via Psychic Hotline.—
Jazz Monroe,
Pitchfork,
10 June 2026
Verb
-
Neither is universally better; Terminix excels at specialized termite removal, while Orkin offers superior technician training and broader general pest coverage.—
Nick Perry,
USA Today,
14 June 2026
-
Navy excels at untangling human emotions and picking through them without being didactic or moralistic.—
Dash Lewis,
Pitchfork,
10 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Thrives.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/thrives. Accessed 18 Jun. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
