as in increasing
to become greater in extent, volume, amount, or number
rumors about the incident proliferated on the Internet
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Recent Examples of proliferating
These sorts of chats aren’t only proliferating in Minnesota, the current hotbed of ICE activity.
—
Margaux Anbouba, Vogue, 27 Jan. 2026
State regulations are proliferating.
—Steven Wolfe Pereira, Forbes.com, 20 Jan. 2026
Videos filmed by residents of violent arrests are proliferating on social media.
—Kayla Hayempour, NBC news, 16 Jan. 2026
Toll roads are proliferating in the US, The Economist reports.
—Andrew Edgecliffe-Johnson, semafor.com, 9 Jan. 2026
The plant—largely unknown in the Western Hemisphere a generation earlier—enjoyed sudden popularity as a source of protein for feeding hogs and chickens grown in the proliferating confinement operations that gave Americans an abundance of cheap meat.
—Time, 3 Dec. 2025
Golden Gate Park is a would-be homeless haven, but local authorities have managed to keep camps from proliferating.
—Literary Hub, 21 Nov. 2025
Fake retail websites Websites that appear authentic but have been constructed for the sole purpose of scamming customers are proliferating, according to Visa.
—Megan Cerullo, CBS News, 20 Nov. 2025
Electric SUVs like the R1S are proliferating at dealerships, giving consumers a wide choice.
—Morgan Korn, ABC News, 9 Nov. 2025
Margaux Anbouba, Vogue, 27 Jan. 2026
State regulations are proliferating.
—Steven Wolfe Pereira, Forbes.com, 20 Jan. 2026
Videos filmed by residents of violent arrests are proliferating on social media.
—Kayla Hayempour, NBC news, 16 Jan. 2026
Toll roads are proliferating in the US, The Economist reports.
—Andrew Edgecliffe-Johnson, semafor.com, 9 Jan. 2026
The plant—largely unknown in the Western Hemisphere a generation earlier—enjoyed sudden popularity as a source of protein for feeding hogs and chickens grown in the proliferating confinement operations that gave Americans an abundance of cheap meat.
—Time, 3 Dec. 2025
Golden Gate Park is a would-be homeless haven, but local authorities have managed to keep camps from proliferating.
—Literary Hub, 21 Nov. 2025
Fake retail websites Websites that appear authentic but have been constructed for the sole purpose of scamming customers are proliferating, according to Visa.
—Megan Cerullo, CBS News, 20 Nov. 2025
Electric SUVs like the R1S are proliferating at dealerships, giving consumers a wide choice.
—Morgan Korn, ABC News, 9 Nov. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for proliferating
Verb
-
In her recommendation to reduce costs, Maeda suggested decreasing bimonthly water meter service charges for single-family utility customers by 25% and increasing the commodity per unit charge by 12% while maintaining the yearly rate of increase.—
Julie Gallant,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
23 Jan. 2026
-
By connecting publications, grants, patents and policy data, researchers can gain a more holistic view of research – saving time and increasing the likelihood of meaningful discovery.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
23 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
Cancellations are likely to continue rising as the snow and ice storm spreads across the nation.—
Jeanine Santucci,
USA Today,
25 Jan. 2026
-
Last year marked a strong one for stock returns, despite a macroeconomic backdrop largely characterized by rising volatility amid escalating global tensions and a Federal Reserve rate cutting cycle.—
Lisa Kailai Han,
CNBC,
25 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
Investors usually reward accelerating top-line growth, but Peloton has frequently presented the opposite, with only a few positive quarters.—
Trefis Team,
Forbes.com,
23 Jan. 2026
-
Its configurability enables battery energy storage to be located closer to demand, reducing congestion and accelerating deployment.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
23 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
While Aspen’s footprint is fixed, Deer Valley is still expanding, creating new ski-in/ski-out neighborhoods and appealing to buyers who value convenience and proximity to a major international airport.—
Roger Sands,
Forbes.com,
23 Jan. 2026
-
During these years, England was involved in different wars, the British Empire was expanding globally, and the Industrial Revolution was in full swing.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
23 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
When treating frostbite at this stage, a person might feel stinging, burning and swelling in the affected area.—
Marina Johnson,
Louisville Courier Journal,
22 Jan. 2026
-
Sarah learned that Ellie’s cough was called croup and was due to swelling around her vocal cords, which can happen with viral infections.—
Brenda Goodman,
CNN Money,
16 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
And, unlike certificates of deposit (CDs) that lock your money away for months or years, high-yield savings accounts maintain the same easy access as traditional savings accounts while multiplying your interest earnings.—
Angelica Leicht,
CBS News,
20 Jan. 2026
-
The Nara Ramen chain debuted in the State Street spot before quickly multiplying in the greater Boise area.—
Michael Deeds,
Idaho Statesman,
20 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Proliferating.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/proliferating. Accessed 30 Jan. 2026.
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