prospect

prospect — noun

1. how likely it is that a wished-for event or a desired situation will take place

1.nounB2
Definition

how likely it is that a wished-for event or a desired situation will take place at some later time

Example

Ife saw little prospect of finding a better job, so she moved to the city.

prospect of + gerund

There is a real prospect that the peace agreement will be signed before the end of the year.

prospect + that-clause

Common collocations
  • prospect of
  • real prospect
  • little prospect
  • no prospect
  • bright prospect
Synonyms
  • chance

    more everyday and neutral; used for both good and bad outcomes

  • likelihood

    more formal and statistical; focuses on probability rather than desirability

  • possibility

    broader term; any future outcome that might happen, not necessarily good

Antonyms

Grammar Patterns

prospect of + noun/gerund

prospect that + clause

there is a prospect of/that

Usage Note

Frequently used with 'of' + a gerund ('prospect of moving') or a that-clause ('prospect that prices will rise'). Usually singular in this sense; the plural 'prospects' belongs to a different sense (see noun sense 2).

Common Mistakes

The prospect of rain today is 80 percent.
The chance of rain today is 80 percent.
'prospect' usually implies something desired or expected, not a neutral weather probability.
There are no prospect of success.
There is no prospect of success.
in this sense 'prospect' is treated as singular uncountable, not plural.

2. the likelihood of achieving success and moving up in one's career, particularly

2.nounB1
Definition

the likelihood of achieving success and moving up in one's career, particularly regarding jobs, promotions, and earnings

Example

Théo's career prospects improved greatly after he completed his professional training course.

career prospects

The company offered Sofia excellent prospects for promotion within the first two years.

prospects for + noun

Common collocations
  • job prospects
  • career prospects
  • employment prospects
  • long-term prospects
  • prospects for
  • prospects in
  • bright prospects
  • poor prospects
Synonyms
  • outlook

    broader; can describe financial, economic, or personal future

  • opportunities

    focuses on specific openings rather than general chances

Grammar Patterns

prospects for + noun/gerund

prospects in + field/noun

career/job/employment prospects

Usage Note

Almost always used in the plural form 'prospects' in this career-related sense. Typical collocating adjectives: 'good', 'bright', 'excellent', 'poor', 'bleak', 'long-term', 'career'. The preposition 'for' introduces the area ('prospects for graduates'), while 'in' introduces the field ('prospects in engineering').

Common Mistakes

I have good prospect of getting the job.
I have good prospects of getting the job.
career meaning requires the plural form 'prospects'.
The prospects for rain are low.
The chance of rain is low.
'prospects' for weather sounds unnatural; use 'chance' or 'likelihood' instead.

3. the mental image or feeling that you get when you think about a future event or

3.nounB2
Definition

the mental image or feeling that you get when you think about a future event or situation that you may experience, whether exciting, worrying, or unpleasant

Example

Rohan could think of nothing but the prospect of a week at the beach during exams.

prospect of + gerund

Nadia could not bear the prospect of failing the entrance exam, so she studied hard each night.

Common collocations
  • prospect of
  • at the prospect of
  • faced with the prospect of
  • dread the prospect of
  • excited at the prospect
Synonyms
  • anticipation

    more active; suggests looking forward with preparation

  • expectation

    implies stronger belief that it will happen

  • thought

    simpler and more general; less focused on the emotional colour

Grammar Patterns

prospect of + noun/gerund

at the prospect of + noun/gerund

faced with the prospect of

Usage Note

Focuses on the mental or emotional reaction to an imagined future, not on statistical probability (compare noun sense 1). Often used with verbs expressing emotion: 'excited at', 'dreading', 'could not face', 'thrilled at'. The phrase 'at the prospect of' is a common fixed pattern.

Common Mistakes

The prospect of a new shopping centre excites me.' (if you mean the likelihood)
The prospect of a new shopping centre excites me.
this is actually correct for sense 3 if you mean the idea/thought. To be clear about likelihood, use 'The likelihood of a new shopping centre...'
I'm prospect of going to Japan.
I'm excited at the prospect of going to Japan.
'prospect' needs a preposition and article, not used as a direct object of 'be'.

4. a person who has a good chance of being selected for a job, a sports team, a pos

4.nounB1
Definition

a person who has a good chance of being selected for a job, a sports team, a position, or as a customer

Example

Joshua is one of the top prospects for the national junior swimming team this year.

top prospect for

The sales team identified several promising prospects for their new accounting software.

sales prospect

Common collocations
  • top prospect
  • strong prospect
  • hot prospect
  • prospect for
  • sales prospect
  • promising prospect
Synonyms
  • candidate

    more general; anyone being considered, not necessarily with a high chance of selection

  • applicant

    someone who has applied, not just someone who might be suitable

  • contender

    stronger; emphasises competition among several people

Grammar Patterns

prospect for + noun

top/strong/good prospect

Usage Note

Common in sports, business, and recruitment contexts. Often modified by adjectives like 'top', 'hot', 'strong', 'promising', 'good'. The preposition 'for' introduces the position or role. In sales contexts, 'prospect' means a potential customer.

Common Mistakes

She is a prospect student for our university.
She is a prospect for our university.' or 'She is a prospective student for our university.
'prospect' is a noun, not an adjective. The adjective form is 'prospective'.
We have three prospect buyers interested.
We have three prospective buyers interested.
use the adjective form before a noun.

5. a wide and impressive view of a natural landscape, coastline, or city skyline, t

5.nounC1
Definition

a wide and impressive view of a natural landscape, coastline, or city skyline, typically seen from a high or open position

Example

From the hilltop there was a beautiful prospect of the valley and the river below.

prospect of + landscape noun

The hotel room offered a stunning prospect over the old city and the harbour beyond.

prospect over + area

Common collocations
  • prospect of
  • prospect over
  • beautiful prospect
  • wide prospect
  • magnificent prospect
  • stunning prospect
Synonyms
  • view

    the everyday word; less formal and more general

  • panorama

    emphasises a very wide, 360-degree view

  • vista

    similar register to 'prospect'; often used for long, narrow views like a valley

Grammar Patterns

prospect of + noun

adjective + prospect of + noun

prospect over + noun

Usage Note

A somewhat formal or literary word for a 'view' or 'scene'. More common in written descriptions, travel writing, and poetry than in everyday conversation. In modern spoken English, 'view' or 'scene' is preferred.

Common Mistakes

There is a nice prospect from my kitchen window.' (too everyday)
There is a nice view from my kitchen window.
'prospect' sounds overly formal for a simple everyday view.
I like the prospect of those flowers in the garden.
I like the sight of those flowers in the garden.
'prospect' describes a wide panorama, not a close-up scene.
Idioms

in prospect

idiom

likely to happen or to be done in the near future; being planned or considered

A major upgrade of the railway network is in prospect for the northern cities.

The company has several new projects in prospect for the next financial year.

prospect — verb

Word family

  • prospector
    nounC1
  • prospecting
    nounC1
  • prospective
    adjectiveB2
  • prospectively
    adverbC2

Synonym discussion

Sense: noun/1

All four words describe how probable a future event is, but they differ in connotation and usage. 'Prospect' (noun sense 1) carries a strong implication that the outcome is desired — we talk about the prospect of peace, not the prospect of a disaster. 'Chance' is neutral and everyday: 'a chance of rain' works for both good and bad outcomes, and it is the most common choice in informal speech. 'Likelihood' sounds more technical and statistical; it is preferred in formal writing and data contexts ('the likelihood of side effects is low'). 'Possibility' is broader than probability — it says something might happen without saying how likely it is. For example, 'the possibility of war' does not mean it is probable, only that it is not impossible. In short: use 'prospect' for a desired future you hope will happen, 'chance' for everyday probability, 'likelihood' for data-driven estimates, and 'possibility' when simply stating that something could occur.

chance ↗likelihood ↗possibility ↗prospect ↗

Common collocations

Nouns

Adverbs

  • prospects are dimly/remotely/realistically viewed
  • prospects are separately considered

Phrases

Prepositions

Etymology

LatinFrenchEnglish

The word 'prospect' comes from Latin 'prospectus', meaning 'a distant view or outlook'. This was formed from 'prospicere', a verb meaning 'to look forward', which is itself made up of 'pro-' (forward) and 'specere' (to look). The word entered English through Old French 'prospect' around the 15th century. The original meaning in English was a physical view (the modern noun sense 5), which later extended to mental anticipation (sense 3), then to probability (sense 1), and eventually to career chances (sense 2). The verb sense developed in the 19th century from the idea of 'looking forward' into the ground for valuable resources.