Illustration of rampant
- a lion rampant
1
a
: rearing upon the hind legs with forelegs extended
b
: standing on one hind foot with one foreleg raised above the other and the head in profile
—used of a heraldic animal
2
a
: marked by a menacing wildness, extravagance, or absence of restraint
rampant rumors
b
: profusely widespread
rampant weeds
rampantly
adverb
Synonyms
Examples of rampant in a Sentence
a weed that's rampant in this area
the mayor promised to put a stop to the rampant crime that plagued the city
Recent Examples on the Web
Immediately, rampant assumptions of a sweep by Boston were up in flames.
—
Greg Cote, Miami Herald, 26 Apr. 2024
Deserters from the junta’s forces say synthetic drug use is rampant.
—Hannah Beech Adam Ferguson, New York Times, 20 Apr. 2024
Experts say arsenic can cause many of the conditions cited by residents though such diseases are also rampant in low-income communities of color even without dangerous water conditions.
—Silvia Foster-Frau, Washington Post, 18 Apr. 2024
There are too many consequences to fake disses: The misinformation will further poison a blogosphere already rampant with fake news presented with vague sources.
—Andre Gee, Rolling Stone, 15 Apr. 2024
Today’s social-media platforms often seem designed to reward the worst in humanity, subjecting their users to rampant hate speech and misinformation.
—Hannah Giorgis, The Atlantic, 12 Apr. 2024
Yet Rizzo told me that dumping is rampant in working-class, outer-borough neighborhoods, where residents have long felt overlooked by the Department of Sanitation, and that many people have welcomed the surveillance cameras in the hope of getting relief from all the junk.
—Eric Lach, The New Yorker, 8 Apr. 2024
Meanwhile, Ethiopia’s economy has been ravaged by rampant inflation, foreign exchange shortages, and widespread food insecurity.
—Alex De Waal, Foreign Affairs, 8 Apr. 2024
The heist has triggered rampant speculation among a public long infatuated with daring burglaries and hefty criminal paydays.
—Sean Murphy, Fortune, 5 Apr. 2024
Greg Cote, Miami Herald, 26 Apr. 2024
Deserters from the junta’s forces say synthetic drug use is rampant.
—Hannah Beech Adam Ferguson, New York Times, 20 Apr. 2024
Experts say arsenic can cause many of the conditions cited by residents though such diseases are also rampant in low-income communities of color even without dangerous water conditions.
—Silvia Foster-Frau, Washington Post, 18 Apr. 2024
There are too many consequences to fake disses: The misinformation will further poison a blogosphere already rampant with fake news presented with vague sources.
—Andre Gee, Rolling Stone, 15 Apr. 2024
Today’s social-media platforms often seem designed to reward the worst in humanity, subjecting their users to rampant hate speech and misinformation.
—Hannah Giorgis, The Atlantic, 12 Apr. 2024
Yet Rizzo told me that dumping is rampant in working-class, outer-borough neighborhoods, where residents have long felt overlooked by the Department of Sanitation, and that many people have welcomed the surveillance cameras in the hope of getting relief from all the junk.
—Eric Lach, The New Yorker, 8 Apr. 2024
Meanwhile, Ethiopia’s economy has been ravaged by rampant inflation, foreign exchange shortages, and widespread food insecurity.
—Alex De Waal, Foreign Affairs, 8 Apr. 2024
The heist has triggered rampant speculation among a public long infatuated with daring burglaries and hefty criminal paydays.
—Sean Murphy, Fortune, 5 Apr. 2024
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'rampant.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near rampant
Cite this Entry
“Rampant.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/rampant. Accessed 2 May. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
rampant
adjective
ram·pant
ˈram-pənt 
also -ˌpant
1
: standing on the hind legs like a horse rearing
2
: not checked in growth or spread
rumor ran rampant
rampantly
adverb
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