as in increasing
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 proliferating
Young people take new shine to tanning And there are indications that tanning is making a comeback among teens and young adults, inspired by the melange of health and wellness content proliferating on social media and TikTok.
—
Will Stone, NPR, 19 Mar. 2026
If it is now widely accepted that truthful portrayals of war are both technically and morally impossible, what are artists still obligated to picture in this moment when war is proliferating across the globe?
—Hanlu Zhang, Artforum, 10 Mar. 2026
What to make of the alarming global conflicts now proliferating?
—John Wenzel, Denver Post, 5 Mar. 2026
Kennedy has made no bones about his misplaced skepticism of mRNA vaccines, pinging off the proliferating conspiracies around the COVID vaccines — incredible innovations that saved countless lives during one of the worst global catastrophes in recent memory.
—The Orlando Sentinel, 21 Feb. 2026
Kennedy has made no bones about his misplaced skepticism of mRNA vaccines, pinging off the proliferating conspiracies around the COVID vaccines — incredible innovations that saved countless lives during one of the worst global catastrophes in recent memory.
—New York Daily News Editorial Board, New York Daily News, 13 Feb. 2026
Indeed, this proliferation of formats aligns with the proliferating number of steps in consumers’ fragrance routines.
—Noor Lobad, Footwear News, 9 Feb. 2026
Cases are proliferating in a Mexican state that borders Texas, with the pest having escaped containment by an international eradication program that banished it for decades.
—Bloomberg Wire, Dallas Morning News, 7 Feb. 2026
Scam centers proliferating as criminal gangs flout laws In Cambodia, Laos and Myanmar, a failure to consistently enforce laws against human trafficking, labor abuses and criminal activities have allowed cyber-scam centers to flourish despite occasional crackdowns, the report noted.
—Elaine Kurtenbach, Los Angeles Times, 5 Feb. 2026
Will Stone, NPR, 19 Mar. 2026
If it is now widely accepted that truthful portrayals of war are both technically and morally impossible, what are artists still obligated to picture in this moment when war is proliferating across the globe?
—Hanlu Zhang, Artforum, 10 Mar. 2026
What to make of the alarming global conflicts now proliferating?
—John Wenzel, Denver Post, 5 Mar. 2026
Kennedy has made no bones about his misplaced skepticism of mRNA vaccines, pinging off the proliferating conspiracies around the COVID vaccines — incredible innovations that saved countless lives during one of the worst global catastrophes in recent memory.
—The Orlando Sentinel, 21 Feb. 2026
Kennedy has made no bones about his misplaced skepticism of mRNA vaccines, pinging off the proliferating conspiracies around the COVID vaccines — incredible innovations that saved countless lives during one of the worst global catastrophes in recent memory.
—New York Daily News Editorial Board, New York Daily News, 13 Feb. 2026
Indeed, this proliferation of formats aligns with the proliferating number of steps in consumers’ fragrance routines.
—Noor Lobad, Footwear News, 9 Feb. 2026
Cases are proliferating in a Mexican state that borders Texas, with the pest having escaped containment by an international eradication program that banished it for decades.
—Bloomberg Wire, Dallas Morning News, 7 Feb. 2026
Scam centers proliferating as criminal gangs flout laws In Cambodia, Laos and Myanmar, a failure to consistently enforce laws against human trafficking, labor abuses and criminal activities have allowed cyber-scam centers to flourish despite occasional crackdowns, the report noted.
—Elaine Kurtenbach, Los Angeles Times, 5 Feb. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for proliferating
Verb
-
The rapid melting is also increasing avalanche activity in unusual places.—
Callie Zanandrie,
CBS News,
27 Mar. 2026
-
Yet an increasing number of endurance athletes are taking on these longer ultramarathons.—
Brad Stulberg,
Outside,
26 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Tensions are rising nationally as the military operation in Iran continues and ICE officers appear in airports.—
Irene Wright,
USA Today,
28 Mar. 2026
-
Carr acknowledged the rising cost and sometimes inconvenient nature of sports streaming are frustrating fans, arguing the drawbacks ultimately outweigh the benefits.—
Chantz Martin,
FOXNews.com,
28 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
For Fashion for Good, the accounting technique is key to accelerating the adoption of biosynthetic PET derived from renewable feedstocks such as plants, agricultural residues and organic waste.—
Jasmin Malik Chua,
Sourcing Journal,
26 Mar. 2026
-
Such a tool could help experts grapple with the accelerating pace and volume of mathematical research.—
Manon Bischoff,
Scientific American,
26 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
The scandal is now expanding into an international investigation, placing Miami at the center of a complex web of shell companies, offshore transfers and opaque financial flows.—
Antonio María Delgado,
Miami Herald,
27 Mar. 2026
-
The rollout will start in Charlotte before expanding to Chicago and Milwaukee.—
Chase Jordan
March 27,
Charlotte Observer,
27 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Airport conditions have become increasingly unpredictable with swelling crowds seen in major hubs.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
25 Mar. 2026
-
Grasses went the opposite way, swelling the endosperm to such an extreme that the embryo looks like an afterthought, a bundle squashed into one end of the seed.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
25 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
The Kremlin’s economic woes are multiplying with its years-long war, which has added to government debt and dampened business investment.—
Hanna Ziady,
CNN Money,
27 Mar. 2026
-
The revenues of Anthropic and OpenAI have been multiplying every year, which proponents argue means that generative-AI products are on track to eventually become profitable.—
Matteo Wong,
The Atlantic,
26 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Proliferating.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/proliferating. Accessed 1 Apr. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
