rampant

adjective ram·pant \ ˈram-pənt also -ˌpant \

|Updated on: 18 Jun 2018

Definition of rampant

1 a : rearing upon the hind legs with forelegs extended

b : standing on one hind foot with one foreleg raised above the other and the head in profile —used of a heraldic animal

2 a : marked by a menacing wildness, extravagance, or absence of restraint

rampant rumors

b : profusely widespread

rampant weeds

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rampantly

adverb

See rampant defined for English-language learners

See rampant defined for kids

Examples of rampant in a Sentence

a weed that's rampant in this area
the mayor promised to put a stop to the rampant crime that plagued the city

Recent Examples of rampant from the Web

Trash heaps line the potholed streets of Edenville in central South Africa, where residents complain that municipal services have ground to a near halt, crime is rampant and jobs are scarce.

— amogelang mbatha, Bloomberg.com, "South African Towns Are Falling Apart," 15 June 2018
Some argue that Einstein's xenophobic and dehumanizing descriptions simply reflect stereotypes rampant in the West at the time.

— judith vonberg, CNN, "Albert Einstein railed against racism. Now, his travel diaries reveal he had a racist streak," 14 June 2018
The senator believes that publicly acknowledging being gay is not a choice is the only way to address this rampant problem.

— james hohmann, Washington Post, "The Daily 202: GOP senator urges love for LGBT youths in Pride Month speech," 14 June 2018
His group recently noted that such fatalities have spiked more sharply in Pennsylvania — nearly doubling in the last decade — than elsewhere, with rampant opioid addiction the biggest factor.

— will bunch, Philly.com, "Suicide, drugs, despair: America's biggest crisis is the one we don't talk about | Will Bunch," 14 June 2018
Streaks are rampant on apps such as Headspace and Calm, which are designed to log and display the consecutive days a user has meditated or practiced mindfulness.

— ellen gamerman, WSJ, "Competitive About Your Meditation? Relax, Everyone Else is Too," 12 June 2018
But corruption remains a rampant problem, not only within the health sector, but within the Afghan government.

— hollie mckay, Fox News, "Taliban prisoners exploit release loophole with fake medical claims," 12 June 2018
Rebuilding occurred at a painful pace, with former residents unable to afford new homes, rampant redlining by banks, and businesses left incapable of bouncing back.

— shakirah simley, Bon Appetit, "The Harlem of the West: What’s to Become of The Fillmore?," 6 June 2018
For most golfers with U.S. Open aspirations, the quest means playing 36 holes in one day — amid thick tension and rampant uncertainty.

— ron kroichick, San Francisco Chronicle, "U.S. Open qualifying: Only the scorecard matters," 6 June 2018

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

Illustration of rampant

Origin and Etymology of rampant

Middle English, from Anglo-French, present participle of ramper

NEW! Time Traveler

First Known Use: 14th century

in the meaning defined at sense 1a

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rampant Synonyms

RAMPANT Defined for English Language Learners

rampant

adjective

Definition of rampant for English Language Learners

—used to describe something that is very common or that is spreading very quickly and in a way that is difficult to control
: growing quickly and in a way that is difficult to control