metastasize
verb
me·tas·ta·size
mə-ˈta-stə-ˌsīz 
metastasized; metastasizing
: to spread or grow by or as if by metastasis
died of lung cancer which had metastasized throughout his body—
G. P. Elliott
G. P. ElliottExamples of metastasize in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
In a lengthy interview with podcaster Andrew Callaghan in July 2025, Biden's son Hunter opened up about his father's health, revealing that the cancer had metastasized to his spinal cord.
—Meredith Kile, PEOPLE, 21 Oct. 2025
The political malaise risks metastasizing into an economic crisis because the quarreling political parties cannot agree on a way forward, such as passing a budget and addressing the country's alarming budget deficit and mounting national debt.
—John Toher, MSNBC Newsweek, 16 Oct. 2025
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
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
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Meredith Kile, PEOPLE, 21 Oct. 2025
The political malaise risks metastasizing into an economic crisis because the quarreling political parties cannot agree on a way forward, such as passing a budget and addressing the country's alarming budget deficit and mounting national debt.
—John Toher, MSNBC Newsweek, 16 Oct. 2025
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
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
See All Example Sentences for metastasize
Cite this Entry
“Metastasize.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/metastasize. Accessed 4 Nov. 2025.
Copy CitationKids 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
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
Paul Brodeur, The New YorkerLove words? Need even more definitions?
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