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.

Life and death are entangled, like a once-prosperous but now deserted community. — Jonathan Flint, Harpers Magazine, 1 Sep. 2026 Maps from the period indicate a burial space near the prosperous home of Quakers James and Ann Whitall, whose property had been seized to construct Fort Mercer. — Jennifer Janofsky, The Conversation, 28 Aug. 2026 In his view, a prosperous society was teetering on the edge of a meaningful shift toward communitarianism before being yanked back. — Daniel D'addario, Variety, 26 Aug. 2026 Their purchase came amid the most prosperous era in team history, though San Diego is still pursuing its first championship. — Dennis Lin, New York Times, 25 Aug. 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

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Cite this Entry

Style

“Prosperous.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/prosperous. Accessed 4 Sep. 2026.

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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

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