prosper
Americanverb (used without object)
verb (used with object)
verb
Usage
What does prosper mean? Prosper means to be successful or fortunate, especially in a financial or material way. Prosper often implies success in terms of wealth, health, and happiness. But it can also be used broadly, much like the words succeed, thrive, and flourish. You can say that someone is prospering in the present, but the word is perhaps most commonly used in the context of what will happen in the future. Prosper is associated with its use in the phrase “live long and prosper,” the catchphrase of the character Spock in the Star Trek series of TV shows and movies. Someone who prospers can be described as prosperous. The noun prosperity refers to a state of success. Example: If we can continue to maintain this level of quality, our company will continue to prosper.
Related Words
See succeed.
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of prosper
First recorded in 1425–75; late Middle English prosperen, Old French prosperer, from Latin prosperāre “to make happy,” derivative of prosperus prosperous
Explanation
As any fan of Star Trek knows, “live long and prosper” is good advice. The verb prosper means to do well, succeed, or thrive. The verb prosper commonly means to generate wealth, as in “she hopes to prosper from her new investments.” But more generally it means “grow stronger” or "flourish" — crops will prosper when they have adequate sun and water, and rescued animals can prosper in a loving home. You can also prosper from good advice or a wise decision: for example, “cheaters never prosper” is one piece of advice that might help you prosper.
Vocabulary lists containing prosper
NAEP Test Words
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
The Call of the Wild
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
Donald Trump Inauguration Address- January 20, 2017
Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!
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.
He added: "There need to be barriers, there needs to be prevention, and we need to look at it seriously to make people feel safe, to make the businesses stay here so they'll prosper."
From BBC • May 9, 2026
Both need each other to prosper and resent self-interested decisions their counterparts make that impact them.
From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 27, 2026
The railroads also tapped into the wealth of retail investors, targeting merchants and farmers along the routes who stood to prosper.
From Barron's • Apr. 15, 2026
He said the bank and local communities “can work together” to help people prosper by buying homes and getting higher-paying jobs.
From MarketWatch • Mar. 31, 2026
For them, the city represented something new under the Southern sun: a place where anyone could prosper, where ambition and hard work, not skin color, determined one’s chances for success or failure.
From "The Best of Enemies" by Osha Gray Davidson
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.
