exponential

adjective ex·po·nen·tial \ ˌek-spə-ˈnen(t)-shəl \

|Updated on: 24 Jun 2018

Examples: exponential in a Sentence

Definition of exponential

1 : of or relating to an exponent

2 : involving a variable in an exponent

10^x is an exponential expression

3 : expressible or approximately expressible by an exponential function; especially : characterized by or being an extremely rapid increase (as in size or extent)

an exponential growth rate

—

exponentially

play \ˌek-spə-ˈnen(t)-sh(ə-)lē\ adverb

See exponential defined for English-language learners

See exponential defined for kids

Examples of exponential in a Sentence

The business has experienced several years of exponential growth.
Prices have increased at an exponential rate.
10₃ is an exponential expression.

Recent Examples of exponential from the Web

Richardson addressed China's and Russia's exponential increases in maritime activity, adoption of new technologies and use of information.

— jennifer mcdermott, Fox News, "US Navy leaders looking to light 'a fire in our gut'," 13 June 2018
Their exponential increase in the region comes suspiciously close to the Environmental Protection Agency’s ban on diazinon, a pesticide used to control various species of flies.

— vinny vella, Philly.com, "$90,000 state grant to help study infestation of Chesco mushroom flies," 5 June 2018
Not Quite Cleared for Takeoff The most telling exchange between Elwell and Uber’s Holden came when an audience member asked how air traffic controller might handle an exponential increase in flying machines.

— jack stewart, WIRED, "Uber's Flying Car Plan Meets the Regulator It Can't Ignore," 12 May 2018
West Valley leaders say the region's exponential growth and uptick in occupancy at area hotels means the time is right for a potential resort.

— lorraine longhi, azcentral, "Time for the West Valley to get into resort market?," 25 May 2018
Over his first 17 months in the White House, Trump has generated novel outrages at a nigh-exponential rate.

— eric levitz, Daily Intelligencer, "Democrats Have Finally Found Their Midterm Message," 22 May 2018
The crows started to show up in my mother’s 1890s Vermont farmhouse at an exponential rate.

— laura raskin, Curbed, "A daughter recounts her mother’s memory loss—and mounting fascination with crow figurines," 18 May 2018
Braczkowski noted that Uganda’s population is growing at an exponential rate, to a projected 125 million people in the next 35 years (it’s at 20 million today).

— richie hertzberg, National Geographic, "See the Last Footage of Rare Tree-Climbing Lions," 18 Apr. 2018
As progress in the field accelerates at an exponential rate, 2018 should see an avalanche of breakthroughs.

— alex salkever, Fortune, "Commentary: These Next-Generation Supercomputers Are So Hot They Need to Run in a Freezer," 17 Jan. 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'exponential.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

First Known Use of exponential

1704

in the meaning defined at sense 1

See Words from the same year

NEW! Time Traveler

Other Mathematics and Statistics Terms

abscissa, denominator, divisor, equilateral, exponent, hypotenuse, logarithm, oblique, radii, rhomb

EXPONENTIAL Defined for English Language Learners

exponential

adjective

Definition of exponential for English Language Learners

: very fast : increasingly rapid
mathematics : including or using an exponent

Medical Dictionary

exponential

adjective ex·po·nen·tial \ ˌek-spə-ˈnen-chəl \

medical Definition of exponential

: expressible or approximately expressible by an exponential function

an exponential growth rate

—

exponentially

play \-ˈnench-(ə-)lē\ adverb

Learn More about exponential

See words that rhyme with exponential Spanish Central: Translation of exponential Nglish: Translation of exponential for Spanish speakers Britannica English: Translation of exponential for Arabic speakers

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exponential

Definition of exponential

exponentially

Examples of exponential in a Sentence

Recent Examples of exponential from the Web

First Known Use of exponential

Other Mathematics and Statistics Terms

EXPONENTIAL Defined for English Language Learners

exponential

Definition of exponential for English Language Learners

Medical Dictionary

exponential

medical Definition of exponential

exponentially

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Definition of exponential

exponentially

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exponential

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exponential

medical Definition of exponential

exponentially

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