pullulate

verb

ˈpəl-yə-ˌlāt How to pronounce pullulate (audio)
Definition of pullulatenext
as in to burst
to be copiously supplied a tough city neighborhood that has a reputation for pullulating with prostitutes and petty criminals

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of Synonyms for pullulate
  1. burst
  2. buzz
  3. bulge
Verb
  • When that bubble burst in the Panic of 1893, a third of railroads went bust, more than 500 banks failed, and the economy plunged into a four-year depression.
    — Ming Lu, Fortune, 22 Oct. 2026
  • When a bank of televisions showed horses bursting through the starting gate, feet stomped on the club’s carpet.
    — Abe Streep, ProPublica, 21 Oct. 2026
Definition of burst
Verb
  • On this cloudy Saturday morning in September, Cape Town's College of Magic is buzzing with energy as dozens of students are competing in the annual junior magic contest.
    — Julie Bourdin, NPR, 25 Oct. 2026
  • Fielder and Oppenheim’s word-of-mouth sensation has taken pop culture by storm, earning millions at the box office, winning near-universal critical praise and generating a ton of press coverage, as well as Oscar buzz.
    — David Mack, CNN Money, 23 Oct. 2026
Definition of buzz
Verb
  • Earlier in the week, the team said the 23-year-old NFL player had been dealing with a bulging disc in his back.
    — Ryan Gaydos OutKick, FOXNews.com, 25 Oct. 2026
  • The fear of effeminization has never felt so acute, which presumably is why Matt Damon’s Odysseus needed bulging muscles, to ensure his sensitivity was mitigated by pecs of steel.
    — Jay Weissberg, Variety, 23 Oct. 2026
Definition of bulge
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Browse Nearby Words

pull together
pullulate
pullulated
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Cite this Entry

“Pullulate.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/pullulate. Accessed 28 Oct. 2026.

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