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
- unprospered adjective
- unprospering adjective
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
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 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
They cannot prosper without American guarantees, but those guarantees come at a price.
From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 16, 2026
Kuriyama held firm that Ohtani could prosper as both a pitcher and hitter at a time that opinion was far from universal.
From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 6, 2026
Even with the Asia Cup on the horizon and the departure of key players such as Yui Hasegawa, they look well equipped to prosper.
From BBC • Feb. 13, 2026
“You’ve learned well enough. We’ll prosper as long as you do as I’ve taught you.”
From "Crispin: The Cross of Lead" by Avi
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.
