thrive

verb

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 thrivenext

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 noun

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.
The Royals, Cubs and Mets have thrived in that regard, while the White Sox, Yankees and Giants rank at the bottom. Zack Meisel, New York Times, 27 Apr. 2026 Be honest about what’s workable, and let creativity thrive within boundaries. Tarot.com, Hartford Courant, 26 Apr. 2026 Many of the sloths will require lifelong assistance from humans to be given the opportunity to thrive, all of them having been in human care since arriving in the United States. Elainie Colton, The Orlando Sentinel, 26 Apr. 2026 In Qalqilya, a city where no slates registered to participate at all, Marwan Ennabi said elections didn't reflect that Palestinian democracy was thriving or capable of changing the deteriorating conditions on the ground. Sam Metz, Arkansas Online, 26 Apr. 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

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Thrive.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.grautoblog.com/dictionary/thrive. Accessed 28 Apr. 2026.

Kids Definition

thrive

verb
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

More from Merriam-Webster on thrive

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster