falter vs thrive

falter

verb
  • To fail in distinctness or regularity of exercise; said of the mind or of thought. 

  • To hesitate in purpose or action. 

  • To cleanse or sift, as barley. 

  • To waver or be unsteady; to weaken or trail off. 

  • To stammer; to utter with hesitation, or in a weak and trembling manner. 

  • To stumble. 

  • To lose faith or vigor; to doubt or abandon (a cause). 

noun
  • An unsteadiness. 

thrive

verb
  • To increase in wealth or success; to prosper, be profitable. 

  • To grow or increase stature; to grow vigorously or luxuriantly, to flourish. 

How often have the words falter and thrive occurred in a corpus of books? (source: Google Ngram Viewer )