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metastasize
verb
me·tas·ta·size
mə-ˈta-stə-ˌsīz
metastasized; metastasizing
: to spread or grow by or as if by metastasis
died of lung cancer which had metastasized throughout his body—G. P. Elliott
Examples of metastasize in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Though her cancer had gone into remission by 2020, Allain broke her back in a race-car crash in December 2021 and further scans showed her cancer had returned and metastasized to the bone.
—Esther Kang, Peoplemag, 30 May 2024
Image The impunity and criminality that Raziq fostered metastasized after his death, eating away at Kandahar from within.
—Matthieu Aikins Bryan Denton, New York Times, 22 May 2024
As his brand metastasizes, Jacob has become a supermeme, portrayed by turns as an action figure, a Halloween costume, the Joker, and for Christmas Frosty the Shaman.
—Frederick Kaufman, Harper's Magazine, 22 Apr. 2024
The violence has hovered near historic levels, while the gangs’ extortion rackets and other criminal enterprises have metastasized into every layer of the economy.
—Tim Golden, ProPublica, 31 Jan. 2024
See all Example Sentences for metastasize
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'metastasize.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Word History
First Known Use
1907, in the meaning defined above
Articles Related to metastasize
Dictionary Entries Near metastasize
Cite this Entry
“Metastasize.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/metastasize. Accessed 12 Jun. 2024.
Kids Definition
metastasize
verb
me·tas·ta·size
mə-ˈtas-tə-ˌsīz
: to spread or grow by or as if by metastasis
Medical Definition
metastasize
intransitive verb
me·tas·ta·size
variants
also British metastasise
metastasized also British metastasised; metastasizing also British metastasising
: to spread by metastasis
… all ten were primary brain cancers; that is, they had originated in the brain, and not metastasized there from elsewhere in the body.—Paul Brodeur, The New Yorker
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