as in increased
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 proliferated
Thus, as Washington began testing the limits of legality at Guantánamo through immigrant detention, lawsuits proliferated.
—
Miriam Pensack, The Dial, 30 Sep. 2025
And though the practice may be strongly associated with our friends across the pond, afternoon tea has proliferated quite strongly throughout the good ol’ Big Apple.
—Nicole Hoey, Robb Report, 26 Sep. 2025
And slang used to denigrate women—such as bop or for the streets—has proliferated.
—Molly Langmuir, The Atlantic, 25 Sep. 2025
Drug trafficking, wildlife crime, the unregulated migration of workers from Myanmar and other neighboring countries, and cyber-scams have proliferated in these areas.
—Susannah Patton, Foreign Affairs, 25 Sep. 2025
That scrutiny has focused more recently on climate litigation as cases proliferated around the country.
—Michael Copley, NPR, 19 Sep. 2025
Red and white English flags have proliferated along streets and been painted on roads.
—Vitalii Yalahuzian, USA Today, 14 Sep. 2025
But massage has become more mainstream in North America—the realm of the strip mall, where affordable massage franchises have proliferated (Massage Envy, the biggest, has nearly a thousand locations and offers a subscription option), and a pillar of the fitness and wellness industries.
—Sarah Larson, New Yorker, 8 Sep. 2025
Over the better part of the past decade, it’s again proliferated around the NFL as the Shanahan coaching tree blossomed from San Francisco and Los Angeles to Minneapolis, Green Bay, Miami and more.
—Parker Gabriel, Denver Post, 8 Sep. 2025
Miriam Pensack, The Dial, 30 Sep. 2025
And though the practice may be strongly associated with our friends across the pond, afternoon tea has proliferated quite strongly throughout the good ol’ Big Apple.
—Nicole Hoey, Robb Report, 26 Sep. 2025
And slang used to denigrate women—such as bop or for the streets—has proliferated.
—Molly Langmuir, The Atlantic, 25 Sep. 2025
Drug trafficking, wildlife crime, the unregulated migration of workers from Myanmar and other neighboring countries, and cyber-scams have proliferated in these areas.
—Susannah Patton, Foreign Affairs, 25 Sep. 2025
That scrutiny has focused more recently on climate litigation as cases proliferated around the country.
—Michael Copley, NPR, 19 Sep. 2025
Red and white English flags have proliferated along streets and been painted on roads.
—Vitalii Yalahuzian, USA Today, 14 Sep. 2025
But massage has become more mainstream in North America—the realm of the strip mall, where affordable massage franchises have proliferated (Massage Envy, the biggest, has nearly a thousand locations and offers a subscription option), and a pillar of the fitness and wellness industries.
—Sarah Larson, New Yorker, 8 Sep. 2025
Over the better part of the past decade, it’s again proliferated around the NFL as the Shanahan coaching tree blossomed from San Francisco and Los Angeles to Minneapolis, Green Bay, Miami and more.
—Parker Gabriel, Denver Post, 8 Sep. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for proliferated
Verb
-
In April, the Legislature approved a bill that increased per-student funding for public schools from $7,771 to $8,162.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
2 Oct. 2025
-
Their answers varied greatly, but one area of consensus is that the plan has pulled more state agencies and rural regions into the conversation, which has increased overall awareness of the problem.—
Joan Meiners,
AZCentral.com,
1 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
Artificial intelligence has accelerated demand, creating an urgent need for more efficient infrastructure.—
Aamir Khollam,
Interesting Engineering,
3 Oct. 2025
-
At the same time, by driving down costs through scale, China has accelerated clean-tech uptake in countries from Pakistan to Brazil to Indonesia.—
Felicia Jackson,
Forbes.com,
3 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
The protests then swelled to wider calls to stamp out corruption, repression and rising crime under President Dina Boluarte’s rule.—
Kara Fox,
CNN Money,
4 Oct. 2025
-
By the time the five members of Tomorrow X Together (TXT for short) appear, not from the stage but through the pit doors, weaving past the barricades and into the sea of fans, the noise has swelled to seismic levels.—
Crystal Bell,
Rolling Stone,
3 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
Two years later, President Biden expanded the protections so more Venezuelans who had arrived in recent years could benefit.—
Syra Ortiz Blanes,
Miami Herald,
4 Oct. 2025
-
What started as a walking tour of the historic Chickasaw neighborhood in 2012, during his years as president of the local neighborhood association, has since expanded to cover the other nine neighborhoods, after Taylor was awarded a fellowship through the Filson Historical Society in 2023.—
Keely Doll,
Louisville Courier Journal,
3 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
Major stock indexes rose Tuesday, with the Dow Jones Industrial Average closing at a record, securing themselves a positive month.—
Yeo Boon Ping,
CNBC,
1 Oct. 2025
-
In stock markets abroad, indexes rose in Europe following a mixed finish in Asia.—
Nick Lichtenberg,
Fortune,
1 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
Soon, raspberries multiplied across their yard.—
Mark Dent,
HubSpot,
3 Oct. 2025
-
To some, the positional requirement is the way to go and that the baseline should be starting line up multiplied by team size – essentially, the true definition of replacement.—
Dom Luszczyszyn,
New York Times,
29 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Proliferated.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/proliferated. Accessed 8 Oct. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share