rampant
adjective
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Definition of rampant
1a : 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
2a : marked by a menacing wildness, extravagance, or absence of restraint rampant rumors
b : profusely widespread rampant weeds
Illustration of rampant
rampant 1b: a lion rampant
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Synonyms & Antonyms for rampant
Synonyms
abandoned, intemperate, raw, runaway, unbounded, unbridled, unchecked, uncontrolled, unhampered, unhindered, unrestrained
Antonyms
bridled, checked, constrained, controlled, curbed, governed, hampered, hindered, restrained, temperate
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Examples of rampant in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
This announcement comes at a time when emotional support animals are rampant and hotly debated. — Aditi Shrikant, Vox, "Delta is now restricting emotional support animals on flights. This could be a good thing.," 11 Dec. 2018 Yet violence against women is rampant and may be getting worse. — Beatrice Christofaro, Fox News, "Despite strong laws, domestic violence in Brazil is rampant," 21 Sep. 2018 While some instances have been traced to US employees, the practice is reportedly rampant in China among Chinese Amazon employees and local third-party sellers. — Valentina Palladino, Ars Technica, "Amazon looking into claims that employees delete bad reviews for cash," 17 Sep. 2018 These problems have been so rampant that in May, the SEC launched a fake initial coin offering in order to warn people against fraudulent cryptocurrencies. — Dani Deahl, The Verge, "New York Stock Exchange owner is launching a bitcoin exchange," 3 Aug. 2018 Though people still mostly drive, the unveiling of a new, free cable car in 2016, along with the rampant popularity of Bird, a scooter-sharing program, suggests that that may soon change. — Marley Marius, Vogue, "A Guide to Kansas City, Missouri: Its History, Its Culture, and Why It’s Worth a Closer Look," 23 Nov. 2018 The reports point to a perfect storm of sorts that's fueling rampant infections. — Dan Goodin, Ars Technica, "E-commerce site is infected not by one, but two card skimmers," 20 Nov. 2018 Simply put, Joan was fed up with the rampant sexism of the early 1970s. — Caroline Hallemann, Town & Country, "What Christina Hendricks Really Thinks of That Iconic Mad Men "Burn This Down" Gif," 18 Oct. 2018 And yet misconceptions about miscarriage remain rampant. — Natalie Lampert, Marie Claire, "Why Women Reeling From Miscarriage Are Turning to the Web," 1 Oct. 2018These 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.
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More Definitions for rampant
rampant
adjective
English Language Learners Definition of rampant
—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
See the full definition for rampant in the English Language Learners Dictionary
rampant
adjective
\
Kids Definition of rampant
: existing or growing greatly and quickly Fear was rampant in the town.
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