abounded; abounding; abounds

intransitive verb

1
: to be present in large numbers or in great quantity : to be prevalent
a business in which opportunities abound
errors and inconsistencies abound
2
: to be copiously supplied
used with in or with
life abounded in mysteriesNorman Mailer
institutions abound with evidence of his successJohns Hopkins Magazine

Examples of abound in a Sentence

They live in a region where oil abounds. a city that abounds with art museums and private galleries
Recent Examples on the Web In recent years, cases abound of officers who narrowly avoided getting fired for misconduct, according to court documents and interviews. Libor Jany, Los Angeles Times, 13 Mar. 2024 Broken Bow Outdoor adventures abound in Broken Bow, a town in the foothills of the Kiamichi Mountains of southeastern Oklahoma. Southern Living Editors, Southern Living, 6 Mar. 2024 See all Example Sentences for abound 

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'abound.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Middle English abounden, borrowed from Anglo-French abunder, borrowed from Latin abundāre "to overflow, be full, be plentifully supplied (with)," from ab- ab- + undāre "to rise in waves, surge, flood," verbal derivative of unda "wave" — more at water entry 1

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of abound was in the 14th century

Dictionary Entries Near abound

Cite this Entry

“Abound.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/abound. Accessed 28 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

abound

verb
1
: to be present in large numbers or in great quantity
wildlife abounds
2
: to be filled or abundantly supplied
a stream abounding in fish

More from Merriam-Webster on abound

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