PROSPECT Synonyms: 82 Similar and Opposite Words

Q: How does the noun 'prospect' differ from other similar words?

Some common synonyms of prospect are anticipation , foretaste , and outlook . While all these words mean "an advance realization of something to come," prospect implies expectation of a particular event, condition, or development of definite interest or concern. // the prospect of a quiet weekend

Q: When might 'anticipation' be a better fit than 'prospect'?

The words anticipation and prospect are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, anticipation implies a prospect or outlook that involves advance suffering or enjoyment of what is foreseen. // the anticipation of her arrival

Q: Where would 'foretaste' be a reasonable alternative to 'prospect'?

The synonyms foretaste and prospect are sometimes interchangeable, but foretaste implies an actual though brief or partial experience of something forthcoming. // the frost was a foretaste of winter

Q: When could 'outlook' be used to replace 'prospect'?

Although the words outlook and prospect have much in common, outlook suggests a forecasting of the future. // a favorable outlook for the economy

prospect 1 of 2

noun

ˈprä-ˌspekt

Definition of prospect

as in view

all that can be seen from a certain point gazing at the wide prospect spread out before me

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

as in candidate

one who seeks an office, honor, position, or award a good prospect for the position of auditor

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in possibility

something that can develop or become actual one highly desirable prospect for the city is a major-league franchise

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in anticipation

the act or state of looking forward to some occurrence the prospect of a quiet, restful Sunday ended when our basement flooded

Synonyms & Similar Words

prospect

2 of 2

verb

ˈprä-ˌspekt

as in to explore

to go into or range over for purposes of discovery soon all manner of people had arrived in the valley to prospect it for gold

Synonyms & Similar Words

Synonym Chooser

How does the noun prospect differ from other similar words?

Some common synonyms of prospect are anticipation, foretaste, and outlook. While all these words mean "an advance realization of something to come," prospect implies expectation of a particular event, condition, or development of definite interest or concern.

the prospect of a quiet weekend

When might anticipation be a better fit than prospect?

The words anticipation and prospect are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, anticipation implies a prospect or outlook that involves advance suffering or enjoyment of what is foreseen.

the anticipation of her arrival

Where would foretaste be a reasonable alternative to prospect?

The synonyms foretaste and prospect are sometimes interchangeable, but foretaste implies an actual though brief or partial experience of something forthcoming.

the frost was a foretaste of winter

When could outlook be used to replace prospect?

Although the words outlook and prospect have much in common, outlook suggests a forecasting of the future.

a favorable outlook for the economy

Example Sentences

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.

Recent Examples of prospect

Noun

Davis, a 5-star prospect ranked in the top 10 nationally overall as a player, had a season-high six receptions for 167 yards in a 60-0 victory over Allatoona last week. — Todd Holcomb, AJC.com, 23 Oct. 2026 In February 2020, Trump’s approval rating stood at 49 percent and reelection prospects looked good. — Kevin Igoe, Washington Post, 23 Oct. 2026

Verb

Can any of them stake a claim to a rotation spot and save the team some money and/or prospects this offseason? — Grant Brisbee, New York Times, 25 Aug. 2026 Included in the roster of G League and international talent are former Heat players Orlando Robinson and Cole Swider, as well as former Heat camp prospects DeJon Jareau and James Nunnally. — Ira Winderman, Sun Sentinel, 22 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for prospect

Recent Examples of Synonyms for prospect

Noun

Someone can always point to a fringe view that’s backed up by a different source somewhere on the Internet.

— Gavin Francis, The New York Review of Books, 24 Oct. 2026
One of the two fake videos racked up roughly 857,000 views within 24 hours, according to an analysis by Alethea, a threat intelligence company.

— Shannon Bond, NPR, 24 Oct. 2026

Definition of view

Noun

Their loss has become the Chiefs’ gain, as Walker, for now, looks like a possible MVP candidate in Kansas City.

— Scott Chasen, Kansas City Star, 26 Oct. 2026
Sanders, who spoke alongside el Sayed in Grand Rapids, said Trump’s attacks on the Democratic candidate were rooted in Islamophobia because Republicans have little to say about the issues affecting working families.

— Barnini Chakraborty, The Washington Examiner, 26 Oct. 2026

Definition of candidate

Noun

This discovery establishes a new way to couple mechanical motion and electricity at the smallest scales, opening new possibilities for molecular electronics.

— Rupendra Brahambhatt, Interesting Engineering, 24 Oct. 2026
Over the summer, Zuckerberg shared with Meta advisors his plans to relocate outside California to avoid the possibility of a significant reduction in his control over the company as a result of selling enough stock to fund a 5% tax.

— Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 23 Oct. 2026

Definition of possibility

Noun

Outside the arena on Tuesday, the crowd thrummed with anticipation.

— Dan Adler, Vanity Fair, 21 Oct. 2026
With just two weeks until the 2026 midterm elections, anticipation and anxiety will only accelerate as social media is rife with the latest polls, early vote data and plenty of rumor.

— Ted Johnson, Deadline, 21 Oct. 2026

Definition of anticipation

Verb

The Swedish polymath explores the sounds, language, and imagery of Americana on a drolly observational singer-songwriter album.

— Harry Thorfinn-George, Pitchfork, 22 Oct. 2026
The series explores the unsettling collision of ancient witchcraft beliefs and modern digital dating culture.

— Samantha Bergeson, Time, 22 Oct. 2026

Definition of explore

Noun

Procter & Gamble, Lockheed Martin and CSX were among the latest companies to join the list of those topping profit expectations for the summer, and gains for their stocks helped limit the market's losses Thursday.

— Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 23 Oct. 2026
Communications leaders can help organisations anticipate the expectations those decisions will need to meet, bringing an understanding of customer concerns and public trust into the discussion before commitments are made.

— Margot Edelman, Fortune, 23 Oct. 2026

Definition of expectation

Verb

But at sea, Spanish guarda costas (armed customs officials) pounced on British ships, allegedly searching for goods being smuggled in for sale.

— Encyclopedia Britannica, Encyclopedia Britannica, 20 Oct. 2026
Planning and workflow platforms already allow buyers to search inventory, map locations, analyze audiences, compare formats and manage campaigns.

— Denys Kanel, Forbes.com, 20 Oct. 2026

Definition of search

Browse Nearby Words

prosers

prospect

prospected

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Style

“Prospect.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/prospect. Accessed 27 Oct. 2026.

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Synonyms of prospect

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verb

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