prospective
adjective
pro·spec·tive
prə-ˈspek-tiv 
also ˈprä-ˌspek-,
prō-ˈspek-,
prä-ˈspek-
1
: relating to or effective in the future
prospectively
adverb
Examples of prospective in a Sentence
In 2005 [Jerry] Colangelo arranged face-to-face sit-downs with every prospective national team player, to hear in their own words why they wanted to represent their country.
—
Alexander Wolff, Sports Illustrated, 28 July 2008
All too often in the post-Vietnam past—the first Gulf War, for example—the default position of the Democratic Party has been to assume that any prospective use of U.S. military power would be immoral.
—Joe Klein, Time, 21 Aug. 2006
All of these arguments were prospective, all anticipated the role that public opinion would play in future constitutional disputes.
—Jack N. Rakove, Original Meanings … , 1996
Alexander Wolff, Sports Illustrated, 28 July 2008
All too often in the post-Vietnam past—the first Gulf War, for example—the default position of the Democratic Party has been to assume that any prospective use of U.S. military power would be immoral.
—Joe Klein, Time, 21 Aug. 2006
All of these arguments were prospective, all anticipated the role that public opinion would play in future constitutional disputes.
—Jack N. Rakove, Original Meanings … , 1996
Recent Examples on the Web
Know Your Audience’s Devices Before spending precious budget dollars on in-game advertisements, evaluate the prospective audience that will be playing the game.
—Expert Panel®, Forbes, 24 Feb. 2025
Musa had seen a video laying out the protocol for prospective new members to join.
—David Peisner, Rolling Stone, 23 Feb. 2025
Previously, the Los Angeles Angels and Washington Nationals were taken off the market when prospective buyers weren’t willing to meet the price tags of those teams’ respective owners.
—Dan Hayes, The Athletic, 22 Feb. 2025
In February, current sales conditions fell four points to 46; sales expectations in the next six months plunged 13 points to 46; and traffic of prospective buyers slid down by three points to 29.
—Tom Rogers, Newsweek, 22 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for prospective
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Expert Panel®, Forbes, 24 Feb. 2025
Musa had seen a video laying out the protocol for prospective new members to join.
—David Peisner, Rolling Stone, 23 Feb. 2025
Previously, the Los Angeles Angels and Washington Nationals were taken off the market when prospective buyers weren’t willing to meet the price tags of those teams’ respective owners.
—Dan Hayes, The Athletic, 22 Feb. 2025
In February, current sales conditions fell four points to 46; sales expectations in the next six months plunged 13 points to 46; and traffic of prospective buyers slid down by three points to 29.
—Tom Rogers, Newsweek, 22 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for prospective
Cite this Entry
“Prospective.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/prospective. Accessed 3 Mar. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
prospective
adjective
pro·spec·tive
prə-ˈspek-tiv
also ˈprä-ˌspek-,
prō-ˈspek-,
prä-ˈspek-
1
: likely to come about
prospective benefits
2
: likely to become
a prospective buyer
Medical Definition
prospective
adjective
pro·spec·tive
prə-ˈspek-tiv
: relating to or being a study (as of the incidence of disease) that starts with the present condition of a population of individuals and follows them into the future compare retrospective
Legal Definition
prospective
adjective
pro·spec·tive
prə-ˈspek-tiv, ˈprä-ˌspek-
1
: relating to or effective in the future
a statute's prospective effect
2
: likely to come about : expected to happen
prospective inability to perform the contract
3
: likely to be or become
a prospective buyer
prospectively
adverb
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