Cool MateProsperity vs Success vs Wealth
When to use each in English, with meaning, register, and examples.
Prosperity
Success
Wealth
| Prosperity | Success | Wealth | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pronunciation | 🇬🇧 /["/prɒˈsperəti/"]/🇺🇸 /["/prɑːˈsperəti/"]/ | 🇬🇧 /["/səkˈses/"]/🇺🇸 /["/səkˈses/"]/ | 🇬🇧 /["/welθ/"]/🇺🇸 /["/welθ/"]/ |
| Meaning | Being successful and having a lot of money or good things in life. | When you achieve something you wanted to do. | Having a lot of money and valuable things. |
| Example | Our future prosperity depends on economic growth. | His success in the competition made him very proud. | His wealth was evident in the luxurious car he drove. |
| Register | Neutral | Neutral | Neutral |
| How common | Top 2,000 (common) | Top 1,000 (very common) | Top 1,000 (very common) |
| CEFR level | C1 | A1 | B2 |
| Part of speech | noun | noun | noun |
| Collocations | economic, material, great, level, enjoy, bring, create, depend on something, a period of prosperity | enormous, great, immense, amount, degree, level, achieve, attain, enjoy, come, lie (in something), depend on something, rate, story, factor, with success, without success, success in, a chance of success, a hope of success, confident of success, resounding, roaring, rousing, be, prove, have, wish somebody (every) success | considerable, enormous, fabulous, have, possess, accumulate, a distribution of wealth, a redistribution of wealth, considerable, enormous, fabulous, have, possess, accumulate, a distribution of wealth, a redistribution of wealth, enormous, great, immense, have, offer, provide, of … wealth |
| Antonyms | poverty, misery, hardship | failure, defeat, setback | poverty, lack |
| Common mistakes | Confused with 'prosper' as a verb., Using 'prosperity' in negative contexts., 'Prosperity' is often mispronounced. | Confused with 'successfully', which is an adverb., Used incorrectly as a verb instead of the noun form., Misplaced in sentences, such as 'We have success' instead of 'We are successful'. | Confused with 'health' due to similarity in sound., Using it in singular form incorrectly, as in 'a wealth' instead of just 'wealth'., Mixing up with 'riches', which has a slightly different implication. |
| Usage notes | Used in both everyday and formal contexts. Suitable for discussions about economics, well-being, or future plans. Avoid in casual conversations unless specific to a topic. | Use 'success' when talking about achieving goals or winning in a friendly context. Avoid using it in negative situations or as a mockery. | Used in contexts related to finances and economics. It can refer to material assets, but also to other forms of abundance, like knowledge. Generally positive connotation; avoid using in negative contexts. |
Frequently asked questions: Prosperity vs Success vs Wealth
What's the difference between Prosperity, Success, and Wealth?
Prosperity: Being successful and having a lot of money or good things in life. Success: When you achieve something you wanted to do. Wealth: Having a lot of money and valuable things.
Which is more advanced: Prosperity, Success, and Wealth?
Prosperity is the highest level, at C1, on the CEFR scale.
Are Prosperity, Success, and Wealth the same CEFR level?
Prosperity: C1, Success: A1, Wealth: B2 on the CEFR scale.
What part of speech are Prosperity, Success, and Wealth?
Prosperity: noun, Success: noun, Wealth: noun.
Can you show an example of each?
Prosperity: Our future prosperity depends on economic growth. Success: His success in the competition made him very proud. Wealth: His wealth was evident in the luxurious car he drove.
Can I use Prosperity, Success, and Wealth interchangeably?
Not always. Prosperity, Success, and Wealth 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.