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
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
With demand for power growing, especially with data centers proliferating, Mrvan wants to ensure there’s more energy generated to lower costs.
—Doug Ross, Chicago Tribune, 30 Jan. 2026
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
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
With demand for power growing, especially with data centers proliferating, Mrvan wants to ensure there’s more energy generated to lower costs.
—Doug Ross, Chicago Tribune, 30 Jan. 2026
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
Recent Examples of Synonyms for proliferating
Verb
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The series became a bestselling book, increasing Anderson’s profile as an incisive commentator with biting wit but very little malice.—
Jessica Lipsky,
Los Angeles Times,
6 Mar. 2026
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With tax incentives reduced and competition increasing, analysts expect EV sales growth in China to slow.—
Sujita Sinha,
Interesting Engineering,
6 Mar. 2026
Verb
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In many of the world’s most intriguing superconducting materials, superconductivity appears only within a curved region of a phase diagram, rising to a peak before fading again.—
Rupendra Brahambhatt,
Interesting Engineering,
8 Mar. 2026
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Over the past four years, the number of New Zealanders aged 30-50 emigrating has more than doubled – from 18,000 to 43,000 – fueled by rising living costs and a weakening job market, demographers told CNN.—
Laura Sharman,
CNN Money,
7 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Multiple sub-Saharan African countries had seen credit-rating upgrades in recent months thanks to improving fiscal situations, falling global interest rates, and accelerating economic growth.—
Tom Chivers,
semafor.com,
5 Mar. 2026
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Destroying Iran’s missile threat Israeli intelligence assessments before the operation indicated Iran was accelerating its ballistic missile production with plans to reach 8,000 missiles by 2027.—
Efrat Lachter,
FOXNews.com,
5 Mar. 2026
Verb
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After observing Choe Hyon's sea trials on Tuesday, Kim said the ship met operational requirements and called it a symbol of the country's expanding naval capabilities.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
6 Mar. 2026
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Ukrainian manufacturers have developed low-cost interceptor drones specifically designed to hunt and destroy Shaheds, and its rapidly expanding drone industry is producing excess capacity.—
Illia Novikov,
Los Angeles Times,
5 Mar. 2026
Verb
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The hallmark symptom of mumps is swelling of one or both parotid glands, which can cause puffy cheeks and tenderness along the jaw.—
Katia Hetter,
CNN Money,
5 Mar. 2026
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Symptoms include swelling, itching, or irritation of the mouth or throat; hives or an itchy rash; nasal congestion; headache; trouble breathing; cramps, nausea, vomiting, or diarrhea; and, in severe cases, anaphylaxis.—
Michele Laufik,
Martha Stewart,
4 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Then, tack on your favorite of those many available add-on packages and components, and that price will start multiplying very quickly.—
New Atlas,
New Atlas,
4 Mar. 2026
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From life’s first moments, multiplying cells are squished, stretched, and tugged to form tissues that bend and twist into organs that expand and contract.—
Clare Watson,
Quanta Magazine,
27 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Proliferating.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/proliferating. Accessed 11 Mar. 2026.
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