rampant
/'ræmpənt/
Học thuậtThân thiện
Definition
- Adjective:
- Growing or spreading excessively and in an uncontrolled manner: Used primarily to describe plants, especially weeds or vegetation, that grow thickly and without restraint.
- In heraldry, standing on the left hind leg with the forelegs raised: Describing the posture of a creature, typically a lion, as depicted on a coat of arms.
- Unrestrained, unchecked, or widespread to an alarming degree: Used to describe something undesirable, such as a problem, emotion, or behavior, that is flourishing without control.
Usage Examples
- Describing uncontrolled growth:
- The garden was full of rampant weeds after the rainy season.
- Without maintenance, ivy can become rampant and cover the entire wall.
- In heraldry:
- The family crest featured a lion rampant.
- Describing something widespread and unchecked:
- Corruption was rampant in the city.
- During the crisis, fear and speculation became rampant.
Advanced Usage
- "run rampant": To spread or grow in an uncontrolled and often destructive way.
- Rumors about the merger ran rampant through the office.
- The virus ran rampant through the population before a vaccine was developed.
Variants and Related Words
- Rampantly (adverb): In an unrestrained, unchecked, or widespread manner.
- The disease spread rampantly.
- Rampancy (noun, less common): The state or quality of being rampant.
- The rampancy of the invasive species threatened the local ecosystem.
Synonyms
- Uncontrolled: Not controlled or restrained.
- Unchecked: Not stopped, regulated, or restrained.
- Widespread: Found or distributed over a large area or number of people.
- Rife: (Especially of something undesirable) of common occurrence; widespread.
- Luxuriant: (Of vegetation) rich and profuse in growth; lush.
Antonyms
- Controlled: Restrained or managed.
- Checked: Stopped or restrained.
- Restrained: Kept under control.
- Sparse: Thinly dispersed or scattered.
Related Phrases and Idioms
- "Rampant inflation": Extremely high and accelerating inflation that is difficult to control.
- The country's economy was crippled by rampant inflation.
- "Rampant speculation": Widespread and often irresponsible guessing or theorizing, especially in financial contexts.
- Rampant speculation in the housing market led to a bubble.
Adjective
- (of a plant) having a lush and unchecked growth
- a rampant growth of weeds
- rearing on left hind leg with forelegs elevated and head usually in profile
- a lion rampant
- unrestrained and violent
- rampant aggression