prospective

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "prospective" is correct and usable in written English.
It is typically used to refer to something that is likely to happen in the future or to describe potential candidates or clients. Example: "The company is looking to hire prospective employees who have the necessary skills and experience."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Formal & Business

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

Prospective managers are apparently being unnerved by PSG's long-term interest in the Arsenal manager, Arsène Wenger, whom they still hope to hire at the end of his contract next summer.

The Guardian - Sport

After all, as both a former and prospective host of MTV's Punk'd, they obviously have an affinity with abject dreadfulness.

The Guardian - Film

And then there were the prospective 2016 Republican presidential candidates: Sens. Marco Rubio, Rand Paul and Ted Cruz and Rep. Paul Ryan all voted No – a thousand times no.

The Guardian

In January, Bennett seemed clear that she alone would be representing the party during prospective debates.

The Guardian

The men's rugby club at the London School of Economics, disbanded this week over a homophobic and misogynistic leaflet distributed to prospective members, had previously been involved in actions including "blacking up" and playing Nazi-themed drinking games, according to the university's students' union.

The Guardian

This idea of using social networks to pinpoint prospective mentors is something new.

The Guardian

With tuition fees of £9,000 and a possible total university debt of £60,000 for medical students, it's obvious to me that if you're an intelligent, prospective student and want to make money, medicine isn't the way forward.

The Guardian

Prospective students need to show compassion and motivation, she says: "When people are in pain it's not easy to get them moving.

The Guardian

His last county Surrey de-registered Pietersen last September, after a summer in which he managed to play only Twenty20 cricket, but remain front-runners among his prospective employers this year.

The Guardian - Sport

Universities still have a way to go to ensure that their social media presence is seen as a credible source of information for prospective students.

The Guardian

Prospective students are keen to engage with their university through social media channels, with one fifth of students saying that universities don't make enough use of social media in recruitment, which meant they currently didn't expect or look for information there.

The Guardian

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "prospective" to specifically denote someone or something that is expected or likely to assume a particular status or role in the future. For instance, "prospective students" clearly refers to individuals who are likely to become students.

Common error

Avoid using "prospective" when you mean "perspective". "Prospective" refers to something in the future or a potential candidate, while "perspective" refers to a point of view or outlook. Using the wrong word can confuse your reader.

Linguistic Context

The primary grammatical function of "prospective" is as an adjective, modifying nouns to indicate a future or potential state. Ludwig AI provides examples such as "prospective students" and "prospective managers", showing its use to describe individuals who are likely to assume a certain role.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

50%

Formal & Business

25%

Science

15%

Less common in

Academia

5%

Encyclopedias

3%

Wiki

2%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The adjective "prospective" is widely used to describe something or someone expected to happen or become something in the future. Ludwig AI confirms its correctness and usability in written English. It frequently appears in contexts like news, business, and science, highlighting its versatility. When using "prospective", ensure you are referring to a future state or potential candidate, and avoid confusing it with "perspective", which relates to a point of view. Consider alternatives like "potential" or "future" for variety, but remember that "prospective" often implies a higher degree of likelihood.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

potential

Indicates a possibility of becoming something, similar to "prospective" but more general.

future

Refers to a time yet to come, like "prospective" when describing future events.

aspiring

Implies ambition and hope for the future, similar to "prospective" in career contexts.

intended

Suggests a planned or purposed future action, relating to the anticipatory nature of "prospective".

forthcoming

Describes something about to appear or happen, linking to the future aspect of "prospective".

eventual

Highlights the final or ultimate outcome, connected to the long-term view in "prospective".

possible

Emphasizes the chance of occurrence, akin to the uncertainty in "prospective" scenarios.

approaching

Signifies something drawing near in time, relating to the impending nature of "prospective" events.

next

Relates to the immediate future, similar to "prospective" when discussing upcoming candidates or events.

soon-to-be

Indicates an imminent transformation, reflecting the changing state implied by "prospective".

FAQs

How to use "prospective" in a sentence?

Use "prospective" to describe someone or something that is likely to happen or become something in the future. For example, "The company is interviewing "prospective employees" this week."

What can I say instead of "prospective"?

You can use alternatives like "potential", "future", or "aspiring" depending on the context.

Which is correct, "prospective student" or "perspective student"?

"Prospective student" is correct when referring to a potential student. "Perspective student" is incorrect; "perspective" refers to a point of view.

What's the difference between "prospective" and "potential"?

While both words suggest future possibility, "prospective" often implies a higher likelihood or expectation than "potential". "Prospective" suggests something is already being considered or evaluated, whereas "potential" simply indicates a capacity to develop into something.