as in to increase
to become greater in extent, volume, amount, or number
rumors about the incident proliferated on the Internet
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Recent Examples of proliferate
Recruitment ads have proliferated across TV, radio, print and podcasts directing viewers to an ICE hiring website that portrays immigration as an existential threat.
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Arkansas Online, 1 Jan. 2026
Curvy Furniture Wavy designs from the likes of Sophia Collé and Gustaf Westman caused a flurry of curvy silhouettes to proliferate interiors.
—Shagun Khare, The Spruce, 31 Dec. 2025
Guerrilla Tacos — founded as a cart in 2012 before expanding to a truck and an Arts District restaurant — helped proliferate Alta California cuisine with chef and co-owner Wes Avila’s hyper-seasonal tacos and tostadas.
—Stephanie Breijo, Los Angeles Times, 31 Dec. 2025
Knowledge of Shaker craft proliferated through a network of mentorship, bringing wider-scale adoption of the communities’ forms.
—Lila Allen, Architectural Digest, 26 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for proliferate
Recent Examples of Synonyms for proliferate
Verb
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Hadi of the weather service said those increasing winds could create hazardous marine conditions in South Florida, so swimmers and boaters should stay aware.—
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The Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection (MassDEP) has pushed back the start date of the new Clean Heat Standard (CHS) – a regulatory scheme that increases costs for natural gas, propane and oil providers to support state climate goals – back two years to 2028.—
Verb
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Asia-Pacific markets were mixed Friday, though chip stocks broadly rose.—
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Pricey rooftops Of course, California housing costs rise as you near the water.—
Verb
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The race to commercialize perovskite technology has accelerated rapidly in recent years.—
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The transfer portal, which opened Friday, allows programs to accelerate the rebuilding process and replace departing players — more than 20 in Florida’s case.—
Verb
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Flywing also plans to expand the competitive side of the platform.—
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Neutrality allowed the nation to build strength, expand westward, and avoid the ideological contagions sweeping the continent.—
Verb
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But the longstanding regime’s grasp on power now appears more tenuous than ever as the swelling opposition movement demands substantive change.—
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Tensions mount in Minneapolis Hundreds of people took to the streets of Minneapolis to protest within hours of Good’s death and demonstrations have continued to swell in the ensuing days.—
Verb
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Lovimag Strong Magnetic Hooks 12-pack On a cruise, paper seems to multiply overnight—from daily activity schedules to reservation slips and excursion details.—
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Pay an additional $1 to add the Power Play for a chance to multiply all Powerball winnings except for the jackpot.—
Verb
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Points will accumulate for 10 straight races in the playoffs, so technically a driver could clinch a championship before the final race was ever run.—
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This friction causes the surface of the lens to accumulate and store a large amount of negative static electricity.—
Cite this Entry
“Proliferate.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/proliferate. Accessed 20 Jan. 2026.
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