The outlook is promising for the verbs thrive and flourish, both of which broadly mean to do well. Thrive emphasizes growth; in the context of business or economics, this takes the form of prosperity or financial gain. Flourish comes ultimately from the Latin word for flower, flōs, and the notion of flowering or blossoming is helpful in understanding how it is used. This verb emphasizes evidence of full development or influence (the way blossoms are an indication of fruit to come). Something that is flourishing, then, is not only growing and thriving, but offering abundant indications of its healthy or successful state.

The adjective lasting describes things that continue or endure for a long time, as in a lasting friendship or a lasting impression. The adjective perennial is used to talk about things that are timeless, recurrent, or that last indefinitely. A perennial debate is one that comes up again and again, and is never fully settled or closed. A perennial favorite is something, be it a song, a book, or a meal, that never fails to please. Perennial has a more specific meaning when it’s used to describe plants: a perennial plant (also called simply a perennial) is one that dies back above ground, but sends up new growth year after year (as opposed to an annual plant, which lasts for one year or growing season only).

The verb refresh is a broad term that is used in many different ways to talk about newness, whether it be bringing a new element to something or making something familiar or forgotten seem new. One can refresh a room with some new paint, refresh a social media feed to see the latest news, or refresh another’s memory by reminding them of something. The verb rejuvenate is a close synonym of refresh, but it is used less often and in fewer contexts. Where refresh emphasizes making something fresh or new, rejuvenate emphasizes restoring things to how they once were, or, in the context of health and wellness, restoring a youthful vigor or appearance.