prosperous

adjective

pros·per·ous ˈprä-sp(ə-)rəs

Synonyms of prosperous

: auspicious, favorable

: marked by success or economic well-being

: enjoying vigorous and healthy growth : flourishing

prosperously adverb

prosperousness noun

Examples of prosperous in a Sentence

The company had a prosperous year. He predicted a prosperous future.

Recent Examples on the Web

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Congressional District first and will work to build a stronger, safer, and more prosperous future for our families, our communities, and our country. — Belinda Keiser, Sun Sentinel, 9 July 2026 The first half, which takes place in 1923-24, revolves around Tatos Cartozian, a prosperous rug merchant living with his family in Portland, Ore. — Theater Critic, Los Angeles Times, 8 July 2026 But the two siblings witnessed the prosperous lives their parents have lived, enabled by the Wild Orchard cooperative, empowering the two to continue their family trade. — Andrew Watman, Forbes.com, 8 July 2026 Captain Rezaian had trained in Florida before the revolution, as my father had, and shared his sense of disillusionment that Iran could no longer offer a safe or prosperous future for their families. — Mahsa Alimardani, Time, 6 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for prosperous

Word History

Etymology

Middle English, from Latin prosperus "agreeable to one's wishes, successful, (of omens) propitious" (going back to *pro-sparo-, from pro- pro- entry 2 + *sparo-, going back to Indo-European *sph₁-ró- "thriving") + -ous -ous — more at speed entry 1

Note: An apparently traditional explanation is recorded by the fourth/fifth century grammarian Nonius Marcellus, namely, that prosperus was in origin from the phrase prō spērē "in conformity with one's hope" (spērē being taken as a variant of spē, ablative of spēs "hope"), though this may best be regarded as a folk etymology. It fails to account for the short e in prosperus.

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler

The first known use of prosperous was in the 15th century

See more words from the same century

Browse Nearby Words

Prospero

prosperous

prosphora

See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

Style

“Prosperous.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/prosperous. Accessed 15 Jul. 2026.

Copy Citation

Kids Definition

prosperous

adjective

pros·per·ous ˈpräs-p(ə-)rəs

: having or showing success or financial good fortune

: strong and healthy in growth

prosperously adverb

prosperous

adjective

Synonyms of prosperous

Examples of prosperous in a Sentence

Word History

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

Kids Definition

More from Merriam-Webster on prosperous

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

loquacious

Popular in Grammar & Usage

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

Is that lie 'bald-faced' or 'bold-faced'?

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?

Commonly Misspelled Words

Popular in Wordplay

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

It's a Scorcher! Words for the Summer Heat

The Longest Long Words List

Ten Words Ending with a Silent ‘T’

12 Lovely and Unusual Words for the Natural World

Popular

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

It's a Scorcher! Words for the Summer Heat

Games & Quizzes