thrive Meaning, Definition & Usage

  1. verb grow vigorously
    expand; flourish; boom.
    • The deer population in this town is thriving
    • business is booming
  2. verb make steady progress; be at the high point in one's career or reach a high point in historical significance or importance
    prosper; flourish; fly high.
    • The new student is thriving

WordNet

Thrive intransitive verb
Etymology
OE. riven, Icel. rifask; probably originally, to grasp for one's self, from rifa to grasp; akin to Dan. trives to thrive, Sw. trifvas. Cf. Thrift.
Wordforms
imperfect Throve or Thrived ; past participle Thrived or Thriven ; present participle & verbal noun Thriving
Definitions
  1. To posper by industry, economy, and good management of property; to increase in goods and estate; as, a farmer thrives by good husbandry.
    Diligence and humility is the way to thrive in the riches of the understanding, as well as in gold. I. Watts.
  2. To prosper in any business; to have increase or success. "They by vices thrive." Sandys.
    O son, why sit we here, each other viewing Idly, while Satan, our great author, thrives? Milton.
    And so she throve and prospered. Tennyson.
  3. To increase in bulk or stature; to grow vigorously or luxuriantly, as a plant; to flourish; as, young cattle thrive in rich pastures; trees thrive in a good soil.

Webster 1913