proliferate

IPA/prəˈlɪfəreɪt/
KK[prolˈɪfɚˌet]IPA/prəˈlɪfəreɪt/

proliferate — verb

  • proliferatepresent simple I / you / we / they
  • proliferateshe / she / it
  • proliferatedpast simple
  • proliferating-ing form

1. to grow or multiply very quickly in number, so that there are soon many more of

1.動詞不及物B2
釋義

to grow or multiply very quickly in number, so that there are soon many more of a particular thing

例句

Rumours about the merger began to proliferate across the office by midday.

proliferate + across [location]

After the rain, weeds started to proliferate all over Piotr's vegetable patch.

proliferate + all over [area]

同義詞
  • multiply

    more neutral; lacks the connotation of sudden or dramatic speed

  • mushroom

    informal and vivid; suggests growth as rapid as mushrooms appearing overnight

  • burgeon

    formal and usually positive; suggests healthy flourishing rather than uncontrolled increase

  • spread

    focuses on geographical range; does not necessarily imply an increase in number

反義詞
  • dwindle

    to become gradually fewer or smaller

  • diminish

    to decrease in size, number, or importance

文法句型

proliferate (no object)

用法筆記

Subject is typically something countable that can increase in number — organisms, ideas, objects, or institutions. Often carries a sense of uncontrolled or concerning growth.

常見錯誤

❌The water proliferated across the floor.
✅The water spread across the floor.
💡Proliferate is about a rapid increase in the number of individual things, not about a mass or liquid spreading outwards.

2. to make something increase or spread quickly in large numbers

2.動詞及物C1
釋義

to make something increase or spread quickly in large numbers

例句

Dr. Nakamura needed to proliferate the bacterial culture before starting the antibiotic trial.

biological domain: proliferate + bacterial culture

Tariq's job at the lab was to proliferate cells for the cancer research project.

biological domain: proliferate cells

同義詞
  • propagate

    often used for ideas, beliefs, or plants; suggests deliberate spreading

  • disseminate

    formal; used specifically for spreading information or knowledge widely

  • breed

    used for living things; implies producing offspring rather than general increase

文法句型

proliferate + object

用法筆記

Less common than the intransitive sense. The object is typically a biological or technical entity that can be made to multiply — cells, cultures, strains, or cell lines. Most often found in scientific and laboratory contexts.

常見錯誤

❌The teacher proliferated the homework to the students.
✅The teacher distributed the homework to the students.
💡Proliferate in its transitive form implies causing rapid multiplication or spread, not simply handing something out.