Cool MateFlourish vs Grow
When to use each in English, with meaning, register, and examples.
Flourish
Top 2,000 (common)C1verb
Grow
Top 1,000 (very common)A1
Most common: Grow
| Flourish | Grow | |
|---|---|---|
| Pronunciation | 🇬🇧 /["/ˈflʌrɪʃ/","/ˈflʌrɪʃɪz/","/ˈflʌrɪʃt/","/ˈflʌrɪʃɪŋ/"]/🇺🇸 /["/ˈflɜːrɪʃ/","/ˈflɜːrɪʃɪz/","/ˈflɜːrɪʃt/","/ˈflɜːrɪʃɪŋ/"]/ | 🇬🇧 /["/ɡrəʊ/","/ɡrəʊz/","/ɡruː/","/ɡrəʊn/","/ˈɡrəʊɪŋ/"]/🇺🇸 /["/ɡrəʊ/","/ɡrəʊz/","/ɡruː/","/ɡrəʊn/","/ˈɡrəʊɪŋ/"]/ |
| Meaning | To grow or develop in a healthy way. | to become bigger or to develop |
| Example | The artist continued to flourish despite the challenging market conditions. | I want to grow a garden in my backyard. |
| Register | Neutral | Neutral |
| How common | Top 2,000 (common) | Top 1,000 (very common) |
| CEFR level | C1 | A1 |
| Part of speech | verb | |
| Collocations | flourish in the garden, flourish in life, flourish under pressure, flourish at work, flourish financially | fast, quickly, rapidly, seem to, begin to, start to, at, by, from, fast, quickly, rapidly, into, to, organically, commercially, locally, be easy to, grow something from seed, well, poorly, fast, allow something to, let something, from, into, to, grow unchecked |
| Antonyms | wither, decline, fail | shrink, decrease, diminish |
| Common mistakes | Confused with 'flourish' as a noun and a verb., Using 'flourish' in past tense without 'ed' as in 'flourished' incorrectly., Mixing up 'flourish' with similar-sounding words like 'flour' or 'flower'. | Confused with 'grows' and 'growing' in tenses., Using 'grow' without an object when it's needed., Mixing up 'grow' with 'grown'. |
| Usage notes | Use 'flourish' when talking about personal growth, businesses, or plants. Avoid in very formal writing unless discussing economics or psychology. | Used in various contexts, from plants to personal development. Can be used informally when talking about emotions, but be careful not to use it too formally. |
Frequently asked questions: Flourish vs Grow
What's the difference between Flourish and Grow?
Flourish: To grow or develop in a healthy way. Grow: to become bigger or to develop
Which is more common: Flourish and Grow?
Grow is the most common in everyday English.
Which is more advanced: Flourish and Grow?
Flourish is the highest level, at C1, on the CEFR scale.
Are Flourish and Grow the same CEFR level?
Flourish: C1, Grow: A1 on the CEFR scale.
Can you show an example of each?
Flourish: The artist continued to flourish despite the challenging market conditions. Grow: I want to grow a garden in my backyard.
Can I use Flourish and Grow interchangeably?
Not always. Flourish and Grow are related and overlap in some contexts, but they differ in register, how common they are, and usage, so swapping one for another can change the meaning or tone. Check the differences above before substituting.