thrive

verb

ˈthrīv How to pronounce thrive (audio)
thrived or throve ˈthrōv How to pronounce thrive (audio) ; thrived also thriven ˈthri-vən How to pronounce thrive (audio) ; thriving ˈthrī-viŋ How to pronounce thrive (audio)
Synonyms of thrive

intransitive verb

1
: to grow vigorously : flourish
thriving emotionally/intellectually/spiritually
Many annuals and perennials need plenty of sunlight to thrive.—Lauren David
2
: to gain in wealth or possessions : prosper
One restaurant thriving as lower income consumers pull back is Olive Garden.—Francisco Velasquez
3
: to progress toward or realize a goal despite or because of circumstances
thrives under pressure
—often used with on
thrives on conflict
thriver
ˈthrī-vər How to pronounce thrive (audio)
noun

Synonyms of thrive

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Examples of thrive in a Sentence

these plants thrive with relatively little sunlight going to a school for gifted students will help him thrive as a musical prodigy
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.
Memory may be the hardware component that AI chips need to thrive, but cybersecurity is what allows an organization to adopt and deploy this technology securely. — Zev Fima, CNBC, 2 Sep. 2026 Researchers are analyzing the whole genomes of diverse species to find out how organisms manage not only to survive such a potentially lethal event, but also to thrive and adapt in its wake. — Carrie Arnold contributing, Quanta Magazine, 2 Sep. 2026 Daniels, however, started as a rookie and thrived, winning The Associated Press NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year and making the Pro Bowl after leading the Commanders to the NFC championship game. — Ryan Canfield Outkick, FOXNews.com, 2 Sep. 2026 Good says all of this is helping GE Appliances thrive despite the cutthroat competition. — Andrea Hsu, NPR, 1 Sep. 2026 See All Example Sentences for thrive

Word History

Etymology

Middle English, from Old Norse thrīfask, probably reflexive of thrīfa to grasp

First Known Use

12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of thrive was in the 12th century

Phrases Containing thrive

Rhymes for thrive

See All Rhymes for thrive

Browse Nearby Words

thristle
thrive
thriveless
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

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

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Kids Definition

thrive

verb
ˈthrīv How to pronounce thrive (audio)
thrived or throve ˈthrōv How to pronounce thrive (audio) ; thrived also thriven ˈthriv-ən How to pronounce thrive (audio) ; thriving ˈthrī-viŋ How to pronounce thrive (audio)
1
: to grow vigorously : do well : flourish
2
: to gain in wealth or possessions : prosper
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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