flourish

[ flur-ish, fluhr- ]

/ ˈflɜr ɪʃ, ˈflʌr- /

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See synonyms for: flourish / flourished / flourishing on Thesaurus.com

verb (used without object)

to be in a vigorous state; thrive: a period in which art flourished.

to be in its or in one's prime; be at the height of fame, excellence, influence, etc.

to be successful; prosper.

to grow luxuriantly, or thrive in growth, as a plant.

to make dramatic, sweeping gestures: Flourish more when you act out the king's great death scene.

to add embellishments and ornamental lines to writing, letters, etc.

to sound a trumpet call or fanfare.

verb (used with object)

to brandish dramatically; gesticulate with: a conductor flourishing his baton for the crescendo.

to decorate or embellish (writing, a page of script, etc.) with sweeping or fanciful curves or lines.

noun

an act or instance of brandishing.

an ostentatious display.

a decoration or embellishment, especially in writing: He added a few flourishes to his signature.

Rhetoric. a parade of fine language; an expression used merely for effect.

a trumpet call or fanfare.

a condition or period of thriving: in full flourish.

OTHER WORDS FOR flourish

1 grow, increase.

9 ornament.

12 ornament, adornment.

See synonyms for flourish on Thesaurus.com

OPPOSITES FOR flourish

1 fade, decline.

See antonyms for flourish on Thesaurus.com

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Origin of flourish

First recorded in 1250–1300; Middle English florisshen, from Middle French floriss-, long stem of florir, ultimately from Latin flōrēre “to bloom,” derivative of flōs flower

synonym study for flourish

1. See succeed.

OTHER WORDS FROM flourish

flour·ish·er, nounoutflourish, verb (used with object)

Words nearby flourish

flouncy, flounder, floundering, flour, flour beetle, flourish, flourishing, flour mill, flour mite, flour moth, floury

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

How to use flourish in a sentence

Tatel’s writing is sparse and not prone to rhetorical flourishes.
Judge David Tatel’s lack of eyesight never defined him, but his blindness is woven into the culture of the influential appeals court in D.C.|Ann Marimow|July 8, 2021|Washington Post
We will not even speak of lattices and other decorative flourishes.
America forgot how to make proper pie. Can we remember before it’s too late?|Megan McArdle|July 1, 2021|Washington Post
The Switch does not lack visual innovation or artistic flourishes necessary to create inarguably beautiful games whose visuals fully justify playing them on a really big-screen TV.
Best Nintendo Switch games for graphics: The titles that justify jumping to the big screen|Billy Cadden|June 20, 2021|Popular-Science
In fact it was just those flourishes — seen as revolutionary at the time — that reportedly turned off old-school members of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences’ documentary branch.
Actors in documentaries used to be taboo. Now they’re the stars.|Ann Hornaday|March 25, 2021|Washington Post

Roasted red peppers and an orange shellfish emulsion lend color to the classic, which is staged in a blue bowl for even more flourish.
Glover Park Grill woos its neighborhood with all-American cooking|Tom Sietsema|March 12, 2021|Washington Post
More: He derives genuine pleasure from watching something he created flourish.
The Stacks: The Eyes of Winter: Paul Newman at 70|Peter Richmond|October 11, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Her father gazes back at her happily, tips his hat, and bows with a flourish.
Knocking on Heaven's Door: True Stories of Unexplained, Uncanny Experiences at the Hour of Death|Patricia Pearson|August 11, 2014|DAILY BEAST
He has a lean, crackling energy about him, a sense of dramatic flourish, a resonant voice that is not unaware of its own music.
Nigeria’s Larger-Than-Life Nobel Laureate Chronicles a Fascinating Life|Chimamanda Adichie|August 9, 2014|DAILY BEAST
This fact was revealed with a flourish during a Life Lesson on the importance of discretion, which is a story for another day.
Quality Bud, but Like, Whoa, The Prices|Kelly Williams Brown|July 26, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Jazz festivals flourish by tapping into this allure of jazz—but increasingly fill their stages with artists from other genres.
Jazz (The Music of Coffee and Donuts) Has Respect, But It Needs Love|Ted Gioia|June 15, 2014|DAILY BEAST
In such conditions many kinds which do not flourish very freely in the open garden, grow into handsome specimens.
How to Know the Ferns|S. Leonard Bastin
He bowed, with a flourish of his plumed hat, and would with that have taken his departure but that the Seneschal stayed him.
St. Martin's Summer|Rafael Sabatini
Virginia leaf still continues to flourish, and to-day it is the great agricultural product of the State.
Tobacco; Its History, Varieties, Culture, Manufacture and Commerce|E. R. Billings.
That is, the number of them cut short, and reduced to few, shall flourish in abundance of justice.
The Bible, Douay-Rheims Version|Various
Socialism, like every other impassioned human effort, will flourish best under martyrdom.
The Unsolved Riddle of Social Justice|Stephen Leacock

British Dictionary definitions for flourish

flourish

/ (ˈflʌrɪʃ) /

verb

(intr) to thrive; prosper

(intr) to be at the peak of condition

(intr) to be healthyplants flourish in the light

to wave or cause to wave in the air with sweeping strokes

to display or make a display

to play (a fanfare, etc) on a musical instrument

(intr) to embellish writing, characters, etc, with ornamental strokes

to add decorations or embellishments to (speech or writing)

(intr) an obsolete word for blossom

noun

the act of waving or brandishing

a showy gesturehe entered with a flourish

an ornamental embellishment in writing

a display of ornamental language or speech

a grandiose passage of music

an ostentatious display or parade

obsolete

the state of flourishing
the state of flowering

Derived forms of flourish

flourisher, noun

Word Origin for flourish

C13: from Old French florir, ultimately from Latin flōrēre to flower, from flōs a flower

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

flourish

OTHER WORDS FOR flourish

OPPOSITES FOR flourish

Origin of flourish

synonym study for flourish

OTHER WORDS FROM flourish

Words nearby flourish

Words related to flourish

How to use flourish in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for flourish

Derived forms of flourish

Word Origin for flourish