as in to increase
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 proliferate
Without them, rotting carrion — and the potentially harmful bacteria contained within — can proliferate and then spread disease if humans come into close contact or by contaminating water.
—
Jonathan Lambert, NPR, 11 July 2025
An inclusive poster that was banned in West Ada classrooms — only to proliferate on T-shirts, yard signs and marquees as a form of protest — is now a permanent fixture at a school in Rochester, N.Y.
—Carly Flandro, Idaho Statesman, 29 June 2025
Medical literature is proliferating at a meteoric rate—doubling in size every five years—as new treatment options like gene therapies are developed and scientists learn more about how different diseases and drugs may interact with each other.
—Amy Feldman, Forbes.com, 15 July 2025
As in World War I, military bases proliferated, shipbuilding increased, and armament factories popped up all over the state.
—Michael Barnes, Austin American Statesman, 15 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for proliferate
Jonathan Lambert, NPR, 11 July 2025
An inclusive poster that was banned in West Ada classrooms — only to proliferate on T-shirts, yard signs and marquees as a form of protest — is now a permanent fixture at a school in Rochester, N.Y.
—Carly Flandro, Idaho Statesman, 29 June 2025
Medical literature is proliferating at a meteoric rate—doubling in size every five years—as new treatment options like gene therapies are developed and scientists learn more about how different diseases and drugs may interact with each other.
—Amy Feldman, Forbes.com, 15 July 2025
As in World War I, military bases proliferated, shipbuilding increased, and armament factories popped up all over the state.
—Michael Barnes, Austin American Statesman, 15 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for proliferate
Recent Examples of Synonyms for proliferate
Verb
-
Decades of research and studies in agriculture have increased production across all crops in the U.S., said James, and cannabis can adopt those same technologies.—
Julie Weed,
Forbes.com,
26 July 2025
-
David Swartz, analyst with Morningstar who monitors Kohl’s, told the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, part of the USA TODAY network, that Kohl’s share price has been steadily increasing in recent months.—
Sara Chernikoff,
USA Today,
25 July 2025
Verb
-
Sales rose 7% in the second quarter compared with Q2 2024 and 12% in 2025’s first half.—
Jackie Charniga,
Freep.com,
23 July 2025
-
So a heatwave there in early 2024 that scientists say was made 4 degrees Celsius hotter by climate change saw global cocoa prices rise by a massive 280% in April that year.—
Lianne Kolirin,
CNN Money,
22 July 2025
Verb
-
As for Nowak’s question about the possibility of AWS’ growth rate accelerating in the back half of the year, Jassy wouldn’t directly answer it but stressed his optimism, in part stemming from AWS customers starting to deploy more AI products at scale that should continue to ramp in coming quarters.—
Geoff Colvin,
Fortune,
1 Aug. 2025
-
With complete control of its destiny, the WSL has accelerated its growth, becoming one of the premier women’s leagues in the world, alongside the National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL) in the U.S. and Spain’s Liga F.—
Vitas Carosella,
Forbes.com,
1 Aug. 2025
Verb
-
Further research is needed to expand our knowledge of the effects of probiotics on the gut microbiome.—
New Atlas,
New Atlas,
26 July 2025
-
Plans to redevelop and expand Whitefish Bay's Sendik's Food Market would put a new two-story store on a prominent Silver Spring Drive corner just east of the grocer's existing location, which would be demolished and turned into a parking lot.—
Bridget Fogarty,
jsonline.com,
26 July 2025
Verb
-
This leads to swelling and a build-up of fluids in the area, which can cause cloudy vision and other changes.—
Angelica Bottaro,
Verywell Health,
30 July 2025
-
Dolphins head coach McDaniel also stated that there was too much swelling in Kohou's knee to determine what the injury truly is.—
James Brizuela,
MSNBC Newsweek,
29 July 2025
Verb
-
The online posts began to multiply soon after Signal 99, an anonymous Facebook page with an emphasis on law and order in Cincinnati, shared one of the videos early Saturday morning with a caption mocking Cincinnati Mayor Aftab Pureval.—
Dan Horn,
The Enquirer,
30 July 2025
-
Rather than multiplying the existing pixels on screen, Google’s generative AI tools created new pixels to increase the definition and scale of the film.—
Dani Di Placido,
Forbes.com,
30 July 2025
Verb
-
The Netscape engineer would surf successive technology waves, accumulating equity stakes that India couldn't match.—
Gabriel Snyder,
MSNBC Newsweek,
23 July 2025
-
During his Michigan career, Wilson often feasted on slants and other in-breaking routes, while also accumulating a lot of yards after the catch.—
Mike DeFabo,
New York Times,
22 July 2025
Verb
-
But in these recent times, Ford's leaders have intensified their examination of its Chinese rivals viewing them as the top competition to learn from — and beat.—
Jamie L. LaReau,
Freep.com,
1 Aug. 2025
-
But as the region shifted back to a dry pattern, fire behavior intensified.—
Hayleigh Evans,
AZCentral.com,
1 Aug. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Proliferate.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/proliferate. Accessed 4 Aug. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share