- present participle of flourish.
flourishing
Americanadjective
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of flourishing
A Middle English word dating back to 1250–1300; see origin at flourish, -ing 2
Explanation
When something is flourishing, it's healthy or successful. Your flourishing lemonade stand is especially busy on hot summer afternoons. A flourishing rose bush has glossy green leaves and bright blossoms, and a city's flourishing music scene means you can see live bands every weekend and hear many different types of music. This adjective is used today for anything that's thriving or prospering, but originally it meant "full of flowers," from the Latin root flos, "a flower."
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
And this is a major part of why the centre is flourishing, she believes.
From BBC • Jul. 10, 2026
The only real question is whether that transformation is imposed on us for the benefit of a tiny ownership class, or created in partnership with us, as a genuine expansion of shared human flourishing.
From MarketWatch • Jul. 6, 2026
The “Tesla Takedown” protests of 2025 contributed to a deep slump in the company’s once flourishing car sales and overall revenue that’s persisted into this year.
From Slate • Jun. 15, 2026
The Army and Navy Academy in Carlsbad is still flourishing at 116 years old.
From Los Angeles Times • May 22, 2026
While visiting the barn to oversee his horses, Giannini noticed how Oriley was flourishing under Smith’s care.
From "Seabiscuit: An American Legend" by Laura Hillenbrand
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
