Synonyms of thriving

thriving 1 of 2

adjective

ˈthrī-viŋ 

1

as in successful

having attained a desired end or state of good fortune

our new landscaping business is thriving

Synonyms & Similar Words

• successful
• prosperous
• flourishing
• triumphant
• growing
• going
• in clover
• palmy
• promising
• booming
• coming
• roaring
• runaway
• robust
• gangbusters
• boffo
• socko

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• unsuccessful
• failing
• collapsing
• hopeless
• failed
• no-good
• unpromising
• inauspicious
• washing-out
• slipping
• folding
• declining
• bankrupt
• destroyed
• waning
• flopping
• futureless
• ruined
• wrecked
• slumping
• flunking
• kaput
• kerflooey

2

as in busy

marked by much life, movement, or activity

the once thriving downtown has fallen into steep decline since the new mall was built

Synonyms & Similar Words

• busy
• buzzing
• vibrant
• lively
• humming
• crowded
• populous
• flourishing
• bustling
• brisk
• alive
• happening
• abuzz
• animated
• kinetic
• stirring
• rousing
• hopping
• abubble
• astir
• aboil
• teeming
• overflowing
• swarming
• abounding
• thronging

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• dead
• inactive
• lifeless
• sleepy
• asleep

3

as in prosperous

marked by vigorous growth and well-being especially economically

a thriving manufacturing community that is experiencing a tremendous growth in new jobs

Synonyms & Similar Words

• prosperous
• prospering
• booming
• successful
• golden
• wealthy
• flourishing
• healthy
• roaring
• affluent
• rich
• palmy
• lush
• halcyon
• boomy
• moneyed
• comfortable
• well-to-do
• substantial
• opulent
• well-off
• well-heeled

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• unsuccessful
• depressed
• dying
• failing
• struggling
• declining
• languishing
• bankrupt
• unprosperous
• insolvent
• floundering
• bankrupted

thriving

2 of 2

verb

present participle of thrive

1

as in flourishing

to grow vigorously

these plants thrive with relatively little sunlight

Synonyms & Similar Words

• flourishing
• prospering
• blooming
• burgeoning
• flowering
• producing
• sprouting
• proliferating
• propagating
• rooting
• shooting up
• overgrowing
• germinating
• luxuriating
• seeding
• regenerating
• fruiting

2

as in succeeding

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

• flourishing
• succeeding
• prospering
• arriving
• excelling
• making it
• getting ahead
• cutting it
• getting there
• winning
• getting somewhere
• hacking it
• making the grade
• making good
• hitting it big
• prevailing
• cutting the mustard
• coming into one's own
• making one's mark
• triumphing

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• failing
• struggling
• floundering

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of thriving

Adjective

Fort Worth's Southside was once a thriving center of Black culture and commerce. — Marvin Hurst, CBS News, 7 Oct. 2026

In ancient times, approximately 400 BC, Kea was a thriving point of trade, being one of the largest of the Cyclades and the closest inhabited island to Athens. — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 6 Oct. 2026

Verb

Focusing on thriving in the next 10 years is something that will only happen with innovation and opportunities that are as well-timed as a great joke. — Deputy Entertainment, Los Angeles Times, 20 Oct. 2026

After all, Jonathan, who was probably alive for President Andrew Jackson's second inauguration in 1833, is still thriving. — Kyle Melnick The Washington Post, Arkansas Online, 18 Oct. 2026