prosper
/ˈprɒs.pə/ IELTSAcademic
verb
To do well financially or grow strong and successful. A person, business, or place can prosper when it gets better over time.
- Her business began to prosper.
- The town prospered after the new factory opened.
- Students can prosper in a supportive school environment.
Adinary Nuance
Prosper is stronger and more formal than simply “do well.” It often suggests long-term success, especially with money, health, or growth. It is close to “thrive,” but prosper is more common in business, writing, and formal speech. Unlike “flourish,” it focuses more on success and less on beauty or creativity.
In other languages
- Vietnamese
- phát đạt
- Spanish
- prosperar
- Chinese
- 繁荣
- Japanese
- 繁栄する
- Korean
- 번영하다
Etymology
Prosper comes from Latin prosperare, meaning “to make successful” or “to cause to succeed.” It entered English through Old French in the Middle English period.
Common phrases
prosper financiallyprosper over timeprosper and grow
Synonyms
Related words
Frequently asked questions
- Is prosper formal or informal?
- It is fairly formal and common in writing, news, and business contexts.
- What is the difference between prosper and thrive?
- Prosper usually means becoming successful, especially financially. Thrive often means growing or doing very well in health, life, or work.
- Can I use prosper for a person?
- Yes. You can say a person prospers when their life or work becomes successful.
- Is prosper common in daily English?
- Yes, but it is less common than “do well” or “succeed” in everyday talk.