To prosper means to succeed, thrive, and do well over time. When a business prospers, it grows and makes money year after year. When a farmer's crops prosper, they grow healthy and abundant. When a student prospers in school, they learn effectively, make friends, and develop their abilities.

Prospering means sustained growth and flourishing, like a garden that produces beautiful flowers season after season. A prospering neighborhood has thriving shops, safe streets, and families that do well together. A prospering friendship grows stronger and more meaningful as time passes.

The word carries a sense of fullness and well-being. When people prosper, they're genuinely doing well: their restaurant is packed with happy customers, their skills are improving steadily, or their family is healthy and content.

You might hear someone wish another person well by saying, “May you prosper!” This means hoping they'll succeed and thrive in whatever they're doing. The related word prosperity describes the condition of prospering: a time of prosperity is when things are going well for many people at once.