English vocabulary · B2
Rampant
ˈræmpənt · adj.
It means spreading fast and out of control. No one is stopping it, and it is getting worse.
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Example sentences
- Corruption was rampant in the city government.
- Rampant weeds took over the garden in days.
Word origin and roots
from Old French
- ramper — to climb (from Old French)
Synonyms and nuances
- WIDESPREAD (something has reached many people or places)
- RIFE (something bad is extremely common)
- UNCHECKED (nothing has stopped or slowed it)
Words with the same root
ramper — to climb
- ramp — a sloping surface — something that climbs from one level to another
Lesson notes
Rampant. It means spreading fast and out of control. No one is stopping it, and it is getting worse.
Similar words are widespread, rife, and unchecked. Use rampant when a problem grows fast and no one stops it.
Corruption was rampant in the city government. Rampant weeds took over the garden in days.
From Old French. Ramper means to climb. Something climbing up and taking over everything — that is rampant.