Use prospect with of for a future event, and use plural prospects for someone's or something's chances of success.
Use prospect with of for a future event, and use plural prospects for someone's or something's chances of success.
| Incorrect | Correct |
| The prospect a delay worried us. | The prospect of a delay worried us. |
| Her prospects is improving. | Her prospects are improving. |
| There is good prospects for growth. | There are good prospects for growth. |
| I have a prospect to pass the exam. | I have a good chance of passing the exam. |
Use prospect for a promising candidate or sales lead, not for someone who is already a confirmed customer or winner.
| Incorrect | Correct |
| The prospect bought from us last year. | The customer bought from us last year. |
| She is a prospect of the gold medal. | She is a prospect for the gold medal. |
| We called every perspective on the list. | We called every prospect on the list. |
| The company is prospect to grow. | The company is a good prospect for growth. |
Use prospect in this formal sense for a wide view, especially in literary or descriptive writing.
| Incorrect | Correct |
| The prospect from the valley was the mountain. | The prospect from the valley was of the mountain. |
| Our hotel room had a prospect to the sea. | Our hotel room had a view of the sea. |
| I took a prospect with my phone. | I took a photo of the view with my phone. |
| The restaurant prospects over the bay. | The restaurant looks over the bay. |
Use prospect with for when naming the resource being sought, such as gold, oil, or lithium.
| Incorrect | Correct |
| They prospected gold in the creek. | They prospected for gold in the creek. |
| She prospected a parking space. | She looked for a parking space. |
| The geologist prospected to copper. | The geologist prospected for copper. |
| They prospected the museum for paintings. | They searched the museum for paintings. |
Use prospect in sales and fundraising for finding possible clients before a pitch or contact becomes active.
| Incorrect | Correct |
| She prospected a contract yesterday. | She prospected for clients yesterday. |
| They prospect new customers by closing deals. | They prospect for new customers before closing deals. |
| We prospected to hospitals. | We prospected for hospital clients. |
| He prospects the product to buyers. | He pitches the product to buyers. |
Use prospect for future chances and promising leads, and use the verb for searching, especially in mining or sales.
The preposition of is dropped in phrases like the prospect of delay, and plural prospects is often forced into a singular verb.
From Latin prospectus, meaning a view or outlook, from prospicere, to look forward or look out.
What does prospect mean?
Prospect can mean a future possibility, someone's chances of success, a promising candidate or sales lead, a wide view, or the act of searching.
Is prospect a noun or a verb?
Prospect is both. As a noun it often means a possibility, lead, or view. As a verb it means to search for minerals or possible customers.
What does prospect mean in sales?
In sales, a prospect is a possible customer, and to prospect means to look for and approach such customers.
What is the difference between prospect and perspective?
Prospect means a possibility, lead, or view. Perspective means a point of view or a way of seeing something.
What is the origin of prospect?
It comes from Latin prospectus, meaning a view or outlook, from a verb meaning to look forward or look out.