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
  • His emotions — and that sticky goo in his wrists — are about to burst.
    — Amy Nicholson, Los Angeles Times, 30 July 2026
  • Along the narrow hallway, bookshelves burst with first editions of John Updike, battered Stephen Kings, graphic novels, dime-store paperbacks, board games, books about mythology, children’s fairy tales, and Warhammer rule sets.
    — Nicholas Quah, Vulture, 29 July 2026
Definition of burst
Verb
  • The building garnered buzz across town, particularly for breaking ground in an area that is still recovering from the effects of Covid-19.
    — Charisma Madarang, Rolling Stone, 25 July 2026
  • The Philippines had 10 ships, three of which came from its coast guard; a small Philippine government propeller plane also buzzed low above the vessels during the mission.
    — Ivan Watson, CNN Money, 24 July 2026
Definition of buzz
Verb
  • Okegbe recommends immediately discarding any can that’s bulging, leaking, heavily rusted, or dented.
    — Jamie Cuccinelli, Martha Stewart, 26 July 2026
  • An aneurysm is a weakened or bulging artery wall, and coiling is a procedure used to block blood flow to the aneurysm, according to Johns Hopkins Medicine.
    — Charna Flam, PEOPLE, 23 July 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 1 Aug. 2026.

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