metastasize

verb

me·​tas·​ta·​size mə-ˈta-stə-ˌsīz 

metastasized; metastasizing

intransitive verb

: 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

By morning, the ache had metastasized into a blinding migraine. —Cassidy Randall, Rolling Stone, 2 Mar. 2025

The Wyss Institute is developing an implantable lymphoid organ as a breakthrough therapy for late-stage and metastasized ovarian cancer. —Theresa Neil, Forbes, 24 Feb. 2025

Over ten years, the scope of the conflict has grown, and the underlying issues have metastasized. —Emma Ashford, Foreign Affairs, 18 Feb. 2025

Speech Changes Changes in speech may be the result of breast cancer that has metastasized to the vocal cords, the mouth, or the brain. —Lana Barhum, Verywell Health, 3 Feb. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1907, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for metastasize

• actualize
• antagonize
• apologise
• apologize
• capitalize
• categorize
• characterize
• commercialize
• conceptualize
• contrariwise
• criminalize
• decentralize

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

mə-ˈtas-tə-ˌsīz 

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

metastasization noun

also British metastasisation

mə-ˌtas-tə-sə-ˈzā-shən