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
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Gift sets abound, from Tom Ford, 111Skin, and Estée Lauder skincare, all boxed up perfectly, no need for wrapping. Kristina Rutkowski, Vogue, 29 Nov. 2024 Similar myths abound in American culture, which frequently casts pain relief and pleasure as inseparable physical and psychological experiences—different sides of the same coin. Richard A. Friedman, The Atlantic, 29 Nov. 2024 As more information about squatter's rights and strategies abound on the Internet, more are able to take advantage of homeowners, Chang said. Matt Robison, Newsweek, 20 Nov. 2024 Even in shared spaces, however, a sense of privacy abounds, as in The Apartment, the guest-only living room adjacent to Sloane’s, the discreet cocktail bar on the second level. Hannah Martin, Architectural Digest, 19 Nov. 2024 See all Example Sentences for abound 

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 22 Dec. 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

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!