prospectively

USAGE SUMMARY

'prospectively' is a correct and usable word in written English.
You can use it as an adverb, to refer to something that is likely to happen or be true in the future. For example: "The investigation will be conducted prospectively, to determine the cause of the issue."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Encyclopedias

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

"Nearly every patent in force today is prospectively open to challenge," says Bruce Lehman, a former commissioner of the United States Patent and Trademark Office who works at Akin Gump, a law firm.

The Economist

A stone or a group of stones belonging to one player can be captured and removed from the board if it can be completely enclosed by his opponent's stones, as white is by black in groups a, f, and g and prospectively in groups b and e in the figure.

Encyclopedia Britannica

The Keys to the White House are a historically based prediction system that retrospectively has accounted for the popular-vote winners of every U.S. presidential election from 1860 to 1980 and prospectively has forecast the popular-vote winners of the presidential elections thereafter.

Encyclopedia Britannica

"We are prospectively looking at the collapse of citadels that have always been Labour since the 1920s," Professor John Curtice, a polling expert from Strathclyde University, told the Guardian newspaper.

Independent

As noted above, either as a legal or as a political matter, land-use regulation normally operates only prospectively.

Encyclopedia Britannica

Doing so would obviously be significant for several reasons: retrospectively, it would show temperature instabilities in yet another part of the climate cycle, and prospectively it would seem to suggest a cataclysm in our own not too distant future.

The New Yorker

Present-day American hawks, before the invasion of Iraq, chose instead to present the sacrifices of war as minimal: no conscription, no taxation, and (prospectively) very little price to be paid, even by Iraqis.

The New Yorker

I wonder which way you meant — prospectively or retrospectively — when you say that time is slower when you do mathematics?

The New Yorker

Researchers at the University of British Columbia prospectively collected data on 868 M.S. patients treated with interferon beta, comparing them with 1,788 patients who never took the drug.

The New York Times - Health

Researchers prospectively followed 17,478 mentally healthy men and women 45 and older, gathering data on diet from food questionnaires, and testing mental function with a well-validated six-item screening tool.

The New York Times

But the Court declared the law unconstitutional only "prospectively," which means that this unconstitutional legal framework can stay in force through May 2012 to give the government a chance to revise it.

The New York Times

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When describing studies, use "prospectively" to clarify that data was collected over time, following subjects forward to observe outcomes.

Common error

Avoid using "prospectively" when you mean to refer to something that has already happened. "Prospectively" relates to future events, while retrospectively concerns past events.

Linguistic Context

The adverb "prospectively" modifies verbs or clauses to indicate a future-oriented perspective or application. Ludwig AI confirms it's a correct and usable word. It's typically used to specify that an action, rule, or consideration will take effect or be relevant from a particular point in the future.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

54%

Encyclopedias

12%

Formal & Business

8%

Less common in

Science

10%

Wiki

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "prospectively" is a versatile adverb that denotes a future-oriented perspective. As affirmed by Ludwig AI, it is grammatically sound and frequently employed across diverse contexts, particularly in News & Media and Encyclopedias. The phrase is best utilized to clarify that an action, rule, or consideration will be relevant from a specified point forward. To ensure correct usage, remember to distinguish it from "retrospectively", which concerns past events. When seeking alternatives, consider options like "in the future" or "going forward", bearing in mind the nuanced differences each offers.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

with future effect

Emphasizes the timing of an impact or change, suitable in legal or formal contexts, very similar to "prospectively" in application.

looking ahead

Focuses on the act of considering the future, differing from "prospectively" which emphasizes the future impact or application.

going forward

Suggests a continued action into the future, implies a sense of progress or continuation, which "prospectively" does not necessarily convey.

in the future

A general term indicating a time yet to come, less formal than "prospectively".

from now on

Implies a change in behavior or policy that will continue into the future, more decisive than "prospectively".

in anticipation

Highlights the feeling or action of expecting something to happen, adding an element of expectancy that "prospectively" lacks.

subsequently

Indicates something that follows in time or order, focusing on the sequence of events rather than anticipation.

planning for the future

Focuses on the act of creating plans, emphasizing the planning process rather than the future outcome.

in due course

Implies something will happen at an appropriate time in the future, suggesting a natural progression or schedule.

down the line

An informal way of referring to the future, less precise and more colloquial than "prospectively".

FAQs

How to use "prospectively" in a sentence?

Use "prospectively" to indicate that something applies or will be considered from a future point forward. For instance, "The new regulations will be applied "prospectively", starting next year."

What can I say instead of "prospectively"?

You can use alternatives like "in the future", "going forward", or "from now on" depending on the specific context.

Which is correct, "prospectively" or "retrospectively"?

"Prospectively" refers to future events or application, while "retrospectively" refers to past events or application. The correct choice depends entirely on whether you're discussing something that will happen or something that has already happened.

What's the difference between "prospectively" and "proactively"?

"Prospectively" concerns the future application or consideration of something, while "proactively" means taking initiative to address a potential issue before it arises. They are related to the future, but one implies planning while the other implies action.