prospective

/prəˈspɛkɾɪv/

/prəˈspɛktɪv/

Other forms: prospectively

If it's prospective, it hasn't happened yet. Prospective students are students who might attend a school in the future. If you visit any college campus, you’ll see prospective students checking out the library, the dorms, and athletic facilities.

Prospective indicates that something is expected or likely to happen. If you’re contemplating your future, you might speak of your prospective career, your prospective spouse, or a prospective million-dollar offer to make a movie based on your fascinating life. However, avoid the common mistake of confusing prospective with perspective. Perspective, which can mean “a reasonable point of view,” is important when one wants to accurately assess prospective opportunities.

Definitions of prospective

1. adjective

   of or concerned with or related to the future
   “prospective earnings”

   “a prospective mother”

   “a prospective bride”

   “the statute is solely prospective in operation”

   synonyms:

   future

   yet to be or coming

   likely, potential

   expected to become or be; in prospect

   future

   effective in or looking toward the future

   antonyms:

   retrospective

   concerned with or related to the past

   backward

   directed or facing toward the back or rear

   ex post facto, retro, retroactive

   affecting things past