thrive

[ thrahyv ]

verb (used without object)

thrivingthrived or throve [throhv], thrived or thriven [thriv, -, uh, n],

1. to prosper; be fortunate or successful.

   Synonyms: advance

2. to grow or develop vigorously; flourish:

   The children thrived in the country.

verb phrase

1. to do particularly well under specified conditions:

   Some plants are adapted to thrive on rainwater alone.

   She thrives on drama and chaos.

thrive

/ θraɪv /

verb

1. to grow strongly and vigorously
2. to do well; prosper

Derived Forms

• ˈthriving, adjective
• ˈthriver, noun
• ˈthrivingly, adverb

Other Words From

• thriv·er noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of thrive¹

First recorded in 1150–1200; Middle English thriven, from Old Norse thrīfast “to thrive,” reflexive of thrīfa “to grasp”

Word History and Origins

Origin of thrive¹

C13: from Old Norse thrīfask to grasp for oneself, reflexive of thrīfa to grasp, of obscure origin

Synonym Study

See succeed.

Example Sentences

Casino resorts thrive in the Bahamas and have a presence in almost every port of call for hundreds of miles.

From The Daily Beast

Turtles, fish, ospreys and rare freshwater sharks and sawfish thrive there.

From The Daily Beast

And in a city with large slums and poor sanitation, rats can thrive easily, fleas and all, to spread the plague.

From The Daily Beast

They thrive on packed schedules, they say, and take pleasure in working around the clock.

From The Daily Beast

It is doubtful that any Churchill-like figure—were one available—could thrive.

From The Daily Beast

Like many other Yankee notions, it did not thrive here, and the humming of those bees soon ceased.

From Project Gutenberg

The garden produces European as well as Brazilian vegetables, in great perfection: Fruit-trees also thrive very well.

From Project Gutenberg

Most of the European vegetables have been introduced, and thrive exceedingly well, especially the potato.

From Project Gutenberg

Thus, by God's blessing, ends this book of two years; I being in all points in good health and a good way to thrive and do well.

From Project Gutenberg

A cow-brute won't thrive in close quarters; they're better off with jist a wind-break en rain-shelter.

From Project Gutenberg

Related Words

• bloom
• blossom
• boom
• develop
• flourish
• grow
• mushroom
• prosper
• shine
• succeed