metastasize

verb

me·​tas·​ta·​size mə-ˈta-stə-ˌsīz 

metastasized; metastasizing

intransitive verb

: to spread or grow by or as if by metastasis

died of lung cancer which had metastasized throughout his body

—G. P. Elliott

Examples of metastasize in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Bishnoi’s international reach Despite him spending nearly a decade in prison, Bishnoi’s reach has allegedly metastasized into a transnational criminal syndicate, operating in the United States, Dubai, and Canada, according to the chargesheet. —Rhea Mogul, CNN Money, 7 Oct. 2025

At the time, Mellencamp was undergoing treatment for stage 4 cancer that had metastasized to her brain and lungs. —Liza Esquibias, PEOPLE, 6 Oct. 2025

The crisis in the Catholic church will only truly heal when everyone acknowledges the institutional cancer that metastasized. —Boston Herald Editorial Staff, Boston Herald, 26 Sep. 2025

What was meant to curb unnecessary tests and care has metastasized into a back-and-forth obstacle course of paperwork that can stall necessary treatment, ratcheting up stress and driving up costs. —Dr. Nicholas Cozzi, Time, 25 Sep. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1907, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for metastasize

• actualize
• antagonize
• apologise
• apologize
• capitalize
• categorize
• characterize
• commercialize
• conceptualize
• contrariwise
• criminalize
• decentralize

Kids Definition

metastasize

verb

me·​tas·​ta·​size mə-ˈtas-tə-ˌsīz 

: to spread or grow by or as if by metastasis

Medical Definition

metastasize

intransitive verb

me·​tas·​ta·​size

variants also British metastasise

mə-ˈtas-tə-ˌsīz 

metastasized also British metastasised; metastasizing also British metastasising

: to spread by metastasis

… all ten were primary brain cancers; that is, they had originated in the brain, and not metastasized there from elsewhere in the body.

—Paul Brodeur, The New Yorker

metastasization noun

also British metastasisation

mə-ˌtas-tə-sə-ˈzā-shən