Cool MateProsperity vs Success
When to use each in English, with meaning, register, and examples.
Prosperity
Success
| Prosperity | Success | |
|---|---|---|
| Pronunciation | 🇬🇧 /["/prɒˈsperəti/"]/🇺🇸 /["/prɑːˈsperəti/"]/ | 🇬🇧 /["/səkˈses/"]/🇺🇸 /["/səkˈses/"]/ |
| Meaning | Being successful and having a lot of money or good things in life. | When you achieve something you wanted to do. |
| Example | Our future prosperity depends on economic growth. | His success in the competition made him very proud. |
| Register | Neutral | Neutral |
| How common | Top 2,000 (common) | Top 1,000 (very common) |
| CEFR level | C1 | A1 |
| Part of speech | 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 |
| Antonyms | poverty, misery, hardship | failure, defeat, setback |
| 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'. |
| 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. |
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Frequently asked questions: Prosperity vs Success
What's the difference between Prosperity and Success?
Prosperity: Being successful and having a lot of money or good things in life. Success: When you achieve something you wanted to do.
Which is more common: Prosperity and Success?
Success is the most common in everyday English.
Which is more advanced: Prosperity and Success?
Prosperity is the highest level, at C1, on the CEFR scale.
Are Prosperity and Success the same CEFR level?
Prosperity: C1, Success: A1 on the CEFR scale.
What part of speech are Prosperity and Success?
Prosperity: noun, Success: 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.
Can I use Prosperity and Success interchangeably?
Not always. Prosperity and Success 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.