as in to increase
to become greater in extent, volume, amount, or number
rumors about the incident proliferated on the Internet
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of proliferate
The slaying of the serpent was a mythological superspreader, mutating and proliferating across the Indo-European world and beyond.
—
Manvir Singh, New Yorker, 13 Oct. 2025
Picture a proliferating mound that spreads or spills or drapes down and around and is covered with probably a thousand miniature pinkish-white daisies.
—Joshua Siskin, Oc Register, 11 Oct. 2025
Dot-com pioneer eBay, which sold its first item (a broken laser pointer) months after Amazon shipped its first book, has lost ground as the competition in e-commerce has proliferated since then.
—Andrew Edgecliffe-Johnson, semafor.com, 10 Oct. 2025
Multiplying forms of addiction, proliferating mental illness—in the midst of the Iraq War, with the Cold War paradigm dead alongside the USSR, and the Regan 1980s in the rearview, the United States of the 00s was marked by a pervasive sadness captured in Wallace’s prose.
—Literary Hub, 7 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for proliferate
Manvir Singh, New Yorker, 13 Oct. 2025
Picture a proliferating mound that spreads or spills or drapes down and around and is covered with probably a thousand miniature pinkish-white daisies.
—Joshua Siskin, Oc Register, 11 Oct. 2025
Dot-com pioneer eBay, which sold its first item (a broken laser pointer) months after Amazon shipped its first book, has lost ground as the competition in e-commerce has proliferated since then.
—Andrew Edgecliffe-Johnson, semafor.com, 10 Oct. 2025
Multiplying forms of addiction, proliferating mental illness—in the midst of the Iraq War, with the Cold War paradigm dead alongside the USSR, and the Regan 1980s in the rearview, the United States of the 00s was marked by a pervasive sadness captured in Wallace’s prose.
—Literary Hub, 7 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for proliferate
Recent Examples of Synonyms for proliferate
Verb
-
Investors cheered the improbable rise of the amateur heavy metal drummer and hard-line conservative, who’s expected to increase defense spending, cut taxes, and revive Japan’s nuclear power industry.—
Nicholas Gordon,
Fortune,
21 Oct. 2025
-
The salt in your food can increase fluid retention in your kidneys, potentially leading to elevated blood pressure,’’ said Pianko.—
Merve Ceylan,
Health,
20 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
Today, Long Island remains a blend of suburban life, coastal culture, and historic estates while also facing challenges of rising seas and housing affordability.—
JSTOR Daily,
JSTOR Daily,
18 Oct. 2025
-
Their risk of major depression rose by about 16%, while there was no significant association among men.—
Deirdre Bardolf,
FOXNews.com,
18 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
The partnership aims to accelerate the path to commercial fusion energy by using AI to simulate and improve control of the superhot plasma that will fuel the machine.—
Aman Tripathi,
Interesting Engineering,
17 Oct. 2025
-
Still, many within the nuclear energy industry are hopeful that utilizing federal and public lands would accelerate the buildout of new reactors by reducing delays often encountered throughout the state and federal permitting process.—
Christian Datoc,
The Washington Examiner,
17 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
By platforming industry experts and passionate entrepreneurs, Ducard is helping Pinterest expand into new arenas.—
Emma Burleigh,
Fortune,
16 Oct. 2025
-
Following its successful launch earlier this year, Virtuosa — the vintage-nodding, heirloom-like collection which introduced the precious and durable platinum among Atelier VM’s metals — is expanded to earrings and a couple of necklaces including a light point.—
Martino Carrera,
Footwear News,
15 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
Lina Thomas, commodities strategist with Goldman Sachs Research, said in a video posted on Thursday the swelling price of gold is more than hype.—
Sasha Rogelberg,
Fortune,
17 Oct. 2025
-
When torrential rains hit a swath of Mexico last week, the Cazones River swelled so fast there was virtually no time to flee.—
Cristopher Rogel Blanquet,
New York Times,
17 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
But actually, winter diseases multiply when the tall leaf blades fall over, creating a dense mat of foliage that provides the perfect environment for disease to flourish.—
Megan Hughes,
Better Homes & Gardens,
19 Oct. 2025
-
Players can multiply non-jackpot wins up to 10 times when the jackpot is $150 million or less.—
Lorenzino Estrada,
AZCentral.com,
17 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
When exposure occurs through food or drinking water, cesium-137 can accumulate in the body and increase the risk of cancer due to its DNA-damaging properties.—
Hollie Silverman,
MSNBC Newsweek,
18 Oct. 2025
-
When nesting under your porch or deck or in a crawlspace, chimney, or attic, raccoon waste will accumulate and cause odors.—
Arricca Elin SanSone,
Southern Living,
18 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
The dispute underscores an intensifying divide within the Democratic Party between establishment forces aligned with major donors and progressives who say those same networks are shutting out grassroots women candidates.—
Samantha-Jo Roth,
The Washington Examiner,
16 Oct. 2025
-
The tech titan has intensified its efforts to bolster affordable housing in recent years.—
George Avalos,
Mercury News,
16 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Proliferate.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/proliferate. Accessed 22 Oct. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share