run rampant

idiom

: to be very common or to spread very quickly and in a way that is difficult to control
Rumors of her engagement ran rampant.

Examples of run rampant in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web Workplace romances run rampant, including Bradley’s ongoing will-they-or-won’t-they with network exec Cory Ellison (Billy Crudup), while plots feel ripped from the tabloids. TIME, 14 Mar. 2024 In the absence of other information, speculation has run rampant from serious surgery complications to divorce (over William’s rumored infidelity). Elizabeth Lopatto, The Verge, 13 Mar. 2024 Weighing as little as 6 grams, delicate mice are distinct from many other rodents that run rampant throughout the country, researchers said. Brendan Rascius, Miami Herald, 23 Feb. 2024 It’s apparently been unleashed outside of the US for years, where it’s run rampant in the Philippines, Mexico, Germany, and more. Li Goldstein, Bon Appétit, 23 Feb. 2024 Yet, false and misleading claims about the nature of the Jan. 6 Capitol Riot, the police's response and the committee hearings that followed continue to run rampant online. Hannah Hudnall, USA TODAY, 6 Jan. 2024 Eating disorders run rampant on university campuses. Madeline Holcombe, CNN, 26 Feb. 2024 Without as many otters around, crabs started to run rampant in the salt marshes of Elkhorn Slough, an estuary on California’s Monterey Bay. Will Sullivan, Smithsonian Magazine, 2 Feb. 2024 The mind is a terrible thing to waste, and in the horror sci-fi film Black Box, mind games run rampant. EW.com, 19 Dec. 2023

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'run rampant.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Dictionary Entries Near run rampant

Cite this Entry

“Run rampant.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/run%20rampant. Accessed 28 Mar. 2024.

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!