prospect

American  

[pros-pekt] / ˈprɒs pɛkt /

noun

• prospects
  plural

1. Usually prospects

   1. an apparent probability of advancement, success, profit, etc.

   2. the outlook for the future.

      good business prospects.

2. anticipation; expectation; a looking forward.

3. something in view as a source of profit.

4. a potential or likely customer, client, etc.

5. a potential or likely candidate.

6. a view, especially of scenery; scene.

7. outlook or view over a region or in a particular direction.

8. a mental view or survey, as of a subject or situation.

   Synonyms:

   perspective

9. Mining.

   1. an apparent indication of ore or native metal.

   2. a place giving such indications.

   3. a mine working or excavation undertaken in a search for additional ore.

10. Archaic. sight; range of vision.

---

verb (used with object)

• prospects,
  present (3rd person singular)
• prospected,
  past participle,  past
• prospecting
  present participle

1. to search or explore (a region), as for gold.

2. to work (a mine or claim) experimentally in order to test its value.

3. to make a careful survey of; examine or evaluate.

   Another local firm uses the same telemarketer to prospect the northern Brisbane market.

verb (used without object)

• prospects,
  present (3rd person singular)
• prospected,
  past participle,  past
• prospecting
  present participle

1. to search or explore a region for gold or the like.

2. to make a search; look for something.

   As a freelancer, you will be prospecting for clients.

idioms

1. in prospect, under consideration; expected; in view.

   He had no other alternative in prospect.

prospect British  

noun

1. (sometimes plural) a probability or chance for future success, esp as based on present work or aptitude

   a good job with prospects

2. a vision of the future; what is foreseen; expectation

   she was excited at the prospect of living in London

   unemployment presents a grim prospect

3. a view or scene, esp one offering an extended outlook

4. a prospective buyer, project, etc

5. a survey or observation

6. mining

   1. a known or likely deposit of ore

   2. the location of a deposit of ore

   3. a sample of ore for testing

   4. the yield of mineral obtained from a sample of ore

---

verb

1. to explore (a region) for gold or other valuable minerals

2. (tr) to work (a mine) to discover its profitability

3. to search (for)

Usage

What does prospect mean? A prospect is a specific outlook for one’s future, usually leaning toward a positive outcome. It is often used in the plural, as in If Julie doesn’t improve her grades, her prospects for college will be slim. More generally, prospect is a looking forward or anticipation, as in With all this extra work, the prospect of going home early isn’t looking good. In business, prospect has several specific meanings. A prospect could be a source of profit, such as a new product. Prospect could also be a potential client or customer, as in The sales team is always looking for prospects to sell to. Or a prospect could be a potential employee, as in HR sent us several prospects for our job opening. To prospect means to search, often for something that will provide a positive outcome, like a job or a client. More specifically, prospect is used to mean to explore an area for gold or similar, as in The gold rush of 1849 led to a lot of prospecting in California. Example: I gave up all of my prospects in banking to chase my passion for photography.

Synonym Usage

See view.

Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• nonprospect
  noun
• prospector
  noun
• underprospect
  noun
• prospectless
  adjective

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• prospects
  plural

Participles

• prospecting
  present
• prospected
  past

Conjugated Forms

Present

• prospect
  simple
• prospects
  simple
• have prospected
  perfect
• has prospected
  perfect
• am prospecting
  progressive
• are prospecting
  progressive
• is prospecting
  progressive
• have been prospecting
  perfect progressive
• has been prospecting
  perfect progressive

Past

• prospected
  simple
• had prospected
  perfect
• was prospecting
  progressive
• were prospecting
  progressive
• had been prospecting
  perfect progressive

Future

• will prospect
  simple
• will have prospected
  perfect
• will be prospecting
  progressive
• will have been prospecting
  perfect progressive

Etymology

Origin of prospect

First recorded in 1400–50; late Middle English prospecte, from Latin prōspectus “outlook, view”; see prospectus

Explanation

A prospect is the possibility that something fabulous will happen. After you graduate top of your class at Harvard, for example, your job prospects look great. Prospect is from the Latin word prospectus which means a "view or outlook." A prospect is still a way of looking ahead and expecting good things. It's like potential in that it's something that might be but isn't yet. There is also the potential for something bad to happen, but prospects usually look good. In the 1800s, when men in floppy brown hats started saying "There's gold in them there hills!" the noun became a verb — to prospect is to search for gold. Either way, when you have prospects, you have a golden future.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

prospect prospects prospected prospecting

"It's something I've dreamed about for years and it used to be a bit of a pipe dream," said Tom Johnstone, when asked about the prospect of Wakefield Trinity winning a Super League Grand Final.

From BBC ● Sep. 26, 2026

For many observers however, that prospect appeared distant.

From Barron's ● Sep. 26, 2026

And though Mathis was ruled because of an injury, the Terrapins can turn to five-star edge Zion Elee, the highest ranked recruiting prospect in program history.

From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 25, 2026

With oil up so much, the prospect of an eventual end to the Iran conflict might have investors showing caution in the energy sector.

From MarketWatch ● Sep. 25, 2026

However, Elizabeth was disappointed at the prospect of attending an all-girls’ seminary instead of Union College.

From "Votes for Women!" by Winifred Conkling

"Generations of Sahrawi refugees have grown up in Tindouf and camps nearby, facing uncertainty and limited prospects."

From Barron's ● Sep. 25, 2026

The Dodgers traded three prospects for Tarik Skubal, the best player available at the trade deadline, and the league website nonetheless ranks the Dodgers’ farm system as the best in all the land.

From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 24, 2026

Although Goldberg believes the company also has a major growth opportunity in the market for data centers, he said those prospects are largely already reflected in the stock price.

From MarketWatch ● Sep. 23, 2026

For European clubs, it makes identifying young Japanese prospects more complex.

From BBC ● Sep. 23, 2026

The prospects for a test ban agreement faded, but only temporarily.

From "Big Science" by Michael Hiltzik

With little formal education, Mulholland had left his native Ireland in his teens, worked steamer ships on the Great Lakes, labored in lumber camps and prospected for gold.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 6, 2026

JOHANNESBURG—For years, hundreds of illegal miners known locally as zama zamas prospected for gold on this patch of land on the outskirts of the city with hammers and chisels in hand-dug tunnels.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jan. 27, 2026

Small fragments of the specimen were "prospected" using ultraviolet lights at night.

From Salon ● Feb. 4, 2023

Bolsonaro’s father prospected for gold at Serra Pelada, where Dirceu first saw gold mining, and the president sometimes draws on his upbringing to rally support from prospectors.

From Seattle Times ● Jan. 12, 2022

I've prospected, or looked for gold, in many places in this country.

From Two Boy Gold Miners or, Lost in the Mountains by Frank V. Webster

The city tries to keep its idiosyncratic businesses going while prospecting for newcomers.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 7, 2026

The rise in clicks on his posts -- and the related increase in commissions he makes on sales of products he uses in his prospecting -- has generated a new income source for James.

From Barron's ● Nov. 2, 2025

Once, when Blanchard was out prospecting with friends, they found old buttons from Levi’s jeans dating back to the mid-1800s.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 13, 2025

That money's up to over $100 million today, but the point is that with all of the negotiations, all that prospecting, the guy that was bussing the table had the most money in the room.

From Salon ● May 18, 2024

Inside, the walls were decorated with real prospecting tools.

From "The Glass Castle" by Jeannette Walls

Related Words

• anticipation
• chance
• expectation
• forecast
• future
• hope
• likelihood
• plan
• possibility
• probability
• promise
• proposal
• thought