Flourish — Meaning, Definition & Synonyms

verb noun /ˈflər-ish/ flour·ish

Meaning & Definition of Flourish

Flourish (verb)

  1. to grow luxuriantly, thrive
  2. to achieve success, prosper
  3. to be in a state of activity or production

Flourish (noun)

  1. an act or instance of brandishing or waving
  2. a florid bit of speech or writing
  3. an ornamental stroke in writing or printing

Flourish (verb) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

  1. to grow vigorously

    "that plant flourishes in cool, wet weather"

    similar: burgeon, prosper, thrive
    related: luxuriate, overgrow, proliferate, shoot up, germinate, root, sprout, bloom, flower, fruit, produce, propagate, regenerate, seed

  2. to reach a desired level of accomplishment

    "the arts program flourished once it received adequate funding"

    similar: arrive, prosper, succeed, thrive, come into one's own, cut it, cut the mustard, get ahead, get somewhere, get there, hack it, hit it big, make good, make it, make one's mark, make the grade
    related: prevail, triumph, win, excel
    opposite: fail
    near: flounder, struggle

Flourish (noun) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

  1. as in wave, beckon

    similar: beck, beckon, shrug, wave, gesticulation, gesture, mime, pantomime, sign, signal, body language, posture, indication, motion, sign language

  2. as in ruffle, flounce

    similar: fal-lal, flounce, furbelow, ruffle, apparel, bells and whistles, blazonry, bric-a-brac, chichi, emblazonry, filigree, finery, foofaraw, frippery, frosting, froufrou, enhancement, enrichment, improvement, adornment, beautifier, caparison, decoration, doodad, embellisher, embellishment, frill, garnish, garnishment, garniture, ornament, ornamentation, setoff, trim, appliqué, embossment, embroidery, fancywork, bedizenment, gilt, glitter, design, figure, pattern, furnishings, regalia, trappings
    opposite: blemish, defacement, disfigurement, scar, blot, spot, stain

Synonyms, Thesaurus & Another Word for Flourish

The most common words with a similar meaning to Flourish:

burgeon, prosper, thrive, arrive, succeed, come into one's own, cut it, cut the mustard, get ahead, get somewhere, get there, hack it, hit it big, make good, make it, make one's mark, make the grade, beck, beckon, shrug, wave, gesticulation, gesture, mime, pantomime, sign, signal, body language, posture, indication, motion, sign language, fal-lal, flounce, furbelow, ruffle, apparel, bells and whistles, blazonry, bric-a-brac

Antonyms & Opposite Words for Flourish

Words with the opposite meaning of Flourish:

fail, blemish, defacement, disfigurement, scar, blot, spot, stain

Related Words for Flourish

luxuriate, overgrow, proliferate, shoot up, germinate, root, sprout, bloom, flower, fruit, produce, propagate, regenerate, seed, prevail, triumph, win, excel

Near Antonyms of Flourish

flounder, struggle

Word Forms of Flourish

Inflections: flourished, flourishing, flourishes

Derived words: flourisher (noun)

Origin & Etymology of Flourish

Middle English florisshen "to put forth flowers, bloom, grow luxuriantly, prosper, brandish (a weapon)," borrowed from Anglo-French floriss-, stem of florir, flurir "to bloom, grow abundantly, thrive," going back to Vulgar Latin *flōrīre, restructuring of Latin flōrēscere "to begin to flower, increase in vigor," inchoative derivative of flōrēre "to bloom, prosper, be at the peak of one's powers," stative verbal derivative of flōr-, flōs flower:1

First known use: 14th centuryi

Vocabulary Lists & Topics for Flourish

Frequently Asked Questions about Flourish

What does "Flourish" mean?

"Flourish" means to grow luxuriantly, thrive. As an a verb and a noun, it is defined as: to grow luxuriantly, thrive. It has 4 distinct senses.

What is another word for "Flourish"?

Other words for "Flourish" include burgeon, prosper, thrive, arrive, succeed, come into one's own, cut it and cut the mustard. The best synonym depends on which meaning of "Flourish" you intend.

What are different ways to say "Flourish"?

There are 97 words and phrases with a similar meaning to "Flourish". Common alternatives include burgeon, prosper, thrive, arrive, succeed, come into one's own, cut it, cut the mustard, get ahead and get somewhere.

What is the opposite of "Flourish"?

Antonyms of "Flourish" include fail, blemish, defacement, disfigurement, scar, blot, spot and stain. Near antonyms include flounder and struggle.

How do you use "Flourish" in a sentence?

Examples of "Flourish" in a sentence: "that plant flourishes in cool, wet weather"; "the arts program flourished once it received adequate funding".

Is "Flourish" a noun, verb, or adjective?

"Flourish" can be used as a verb and a noun, depending on the context.

Is "Flourish" useful for IELTS, TOEFL, and other English exams?

As a C1-level word, "Flourish" is typical of Cambridge C1 Advanced (CAE), IELTS band 7.0–8.0, TOEFL iBT 95–113, PTE Academic 76–84, TOEIC Listening & Reading 945+. Advanced words like this are also useful for the GRE, SAT, GMAT, and LSAT.

How do you pronounce "Flourish"?

"Flourish" is pronounced /ˈflər-ish/ and divided into syllables as flour·ish.