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- pronunciation:
- fluh
rIsh
- parts of speech:
- intransitive verb, transitive verb, noun
- features:
- Word Combinations (verb, noun), Word Explorer
| part of speech: |
intransitive verb |
| inflections: |
flourishes, flourishing, flourished |
| definition 1: |
to grow and thrive; be healthy and vigorous.
Ferns do not flourish in direct sunlight.- synonyms:
- grow, thrive
- antonyms:
- atrophy, languish, rot, wilt, wither
- similar words:
- bloom, blossom, burgeon out, develop, flower, fruit, mature, wax
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| definition 2: |
to do well; succeed; prosper.
Businesses flourished during the economic boom.Middle school was hard for her, but she's flourishing now in high school.- synonyms:
- blossom, prosper, succeed, thrive
- antonyms:
- languish
- similar words:
- bloom, burgeon, progress
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| definition 3: |
to be in a period of highest strength, influence, fame or the like.
Vaudeville flourished in the early part of the twentieth century.- synonyms:
- bloom
- similar words:
- burgeon, flower
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| definition 4: |
to make sweeping, dramatic movements.
Actors doing Shakespeare seem to me to flourish a great deal, perhaps to communicate better with the audience.- synonyms:
- swagger
- similar words:
- emote, flaunt, gesture, grandstand, ham, overact, overplay, parade, show off, strut
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| related words: |
abound, advance, arrive, blossom, boom, bud, exist, germinate, live, mushroom, shine |
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| part of speech: |
transitive verb |
| definition 1: |
to wave about dramatically; brandish.
The actors flourished their swords in mock battle.- synonyms:
- brandish, wave
- similar words:
- wield
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| definition 2: |
to display in a showy or dramatic manner; flaunt.
She flourished her expensive new bracelet in front of her envious friends.- synonyms:
- brandish, display, flaunt, parade
- similar words:
- sport
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| related words: |
parade, shake, wave |
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| part of speech: |
noun |
| definition 1: |
an act or the motion of waving or brandishing.
With a flourish of his baton, the conductor ignited the orchestra.- synonyms:
- brandish
- similar words:
- slash, wave
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| definition 2: |
a showy display.
The heiress's flourish of generosity was reported in all the newspapers.- synonyms:
- display, parade
- similar words:
- flaunt, show, swagger
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| definition 3: |
an added decorative element in writing or the like.
He added a flourish to his signature.- synonyms:
- curlicue
- similar words:
- adornment, decoration, embellishment, frill, ornament, slash, swirl, whorl
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| definition 4: |
an added passage in a musical composition that is intended to be impressive; fanfare.
The final trumpet flourish should be played louder.- similar words:
- appoggiatura, cadenza, embellishment, fanfare, grace note
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| related words: |
finish, gesture |
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| derivations: |
flourishing (adj.), flourisher (n.) |
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