multiply

verb

ˈməl-tə-ˌplī How to pronounce multiply (audio)
Definition of multiplynext
1
as in to reproduce
to bring forth offspring rabbits multiply with proverbial rapidity

Synonyms & Similar Words

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2
as in to increase
to make greater in size, amount, or number the booming economy multiplied the wealth of investors

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in to rise
to become greater in extent, volume, amount, or number with each attempt the problems multiplied

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Synonym Chooser

How does the verb multiply contrast with its synonyms?

Some common synonyms of multiply are augment, enlarge, and increase. While all these words mean "to make or become greater," multiply implies increase in number by natural generation or by indefinite repetition of a process.

with each attempt the problems multiplied

When is it sensible to use augment instead of multiply?

The meanings of augment and multiply largely overlap; however, augment implies addition to what is already well grown or well developed.

the inheritance augmented his fortune

When would enlarge be a good substitute for multiply?

The synonyms enlarge and multiply are sometimes interchangeable, but enlarge implies expansion or extension that makes greater in size or capacity.

enlarged the kitchen

When could increase be used to replace multiply?

The words increase and multiply can be used in similar contexts, but increase used intransitively implies progressive growth in size, amount, or intensity; used transitively it may imply simple not necessarily progressive addition.

his waistline increased with age
increased her landholdings

Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of multiply And while guests are asked to give just one hour of their time, Fiji is betting on the collective power of that time, multiplied by the million visitors to its shores. — Madeline Weinfield, Travel + Leisure, 7 Apr. 2025 The spread Then, the virus takes over, multiplying inside the cells and building up an army for an attack. — Emily Baumgaertner Nunn, New York Times, 4 Apr. 2025 The number of condos on the list in Florida and across the country has multiplied since Fannie Mae established more rigorous safety and financial requirements for its backing following the 2021 collapse of the Champlain Towers South condo in Surfside. — Andres Viglucci, Miami Herald, 4 Apr. 2025 The size next to the word cap refers to market capitalization, or shares of the company outstanding multiplied by the price of the shares. — Cicely Jones, Forbes.com, 4 Apr. 2025 See All Example Sentences for multiply
Recent Examples of Synonyms for multiply
  1. reproduce
  2. increase
  3. rise
  4. propagate
  5. expand
  6. accelerate
  7. augment
  8. swell
Verb
  • Of those, 15 were meant to reproduce extinct dire wolf gene variants.
    — Emily Mullin, Wired News, 7 Apr. 2025
  • This material is not to be reproduced or redistributed absent the written consent of Fairlead Strategies.
    — Katie Stockton, CNBC, 7 Apr. 2025
Definition of reproduce
Verb
  • The price of buying a foreign car could increase by anywhere between $5,000 to $15,000, Goldman Sachs estimates.
    — Mabinty Quarshie, The Washington Examiner, 1 Apr. 2025
  • The European Union has unveiled an $840 billion plan to increase its defense spending, and the German parliament just passed historic constitutional amendments to take on unprecedented levels of debt to facilitate a massive defense investment.
    — Elizabeth Shackelford, Mercury News, 1 Apr. 2025
Definition of increase
Verb
  • Fans chose sides, hashtags trended, and both artists saw streaming numbers rise.
    — Remy Blumenfeld, HollywoodReporter, 5 Apr. 2025
  • China’s tariffs would rise by one percentage point; the European Union’s would shift by even less.
    — Ben Blatt, New York Times, 5 Apr. 2025
Definition of rise
Verb
  • His greenhouse houses maybe 50 of his own varieties among 125 stock plants used in ongoing breeding and to propagate inventory for retail customers.
    — Margaret Roach, New York Times, 25 Mar. 2025
  • Misleading Social Media Advice: Platforms like TikTok propagate inaccurate tax advice, encouraging users to create fake documents or claim ineligible credits.
    — Matthew F. Erskine, Forbes, 20 Mar. 2025
Definition of propagate
Verb
  • The brand has also been expanding its handbags offer, and the executive said that the Avenue, Everywhere and Boulevard bags have been very successful.
    — Luisa Zargani, Footwear News, 10 Apr. 2025
  • Booth wanted Malone to expand his rotation, especially in 2024, when Denver was defending its title.
    — Sam Amick, New York Times, 10 Apr. 2025
Definition of expand
Verb
  • Business leaders obtain the necessary insights to reduce carbon and material usage, accelerate CSRD compliance, and accurately measure the financial and sustainability impact of their decisions.
    — Sophia Mendelsohn, Forbes.com, 4 Apr. 2025
  • President Donald Trump imposed sweeping tariffs Wednesday affecting all U.S. trading partners and imports, plowing ahead on a risky economic strategy that promises to further accelerate a global trade war and raise anxieties about higher consumer prices at home.
    — Joey Garrison, USA Today, 3 Apr. 2025
Definition of accelerate
Verb
  • Attention also could be paid to dismantling foreign anticompetitive market distortions, in order to augment the benefits achieved through the Task Force.
    — Alden Abbott, Forbes.com, 28 Mar. 2025
  • The rubber match has augmented stakes in a Tournament field with increasing parity.
    — Steven Louis Goldstein, New York Times, 28 Mar. 2025
Definition of augment
Verb
  • Before the pandemic, Jackson County Public Health had about 30 employees, but swelled to about 120 during the crisis.
    — Jonathan Shorman, Kansas City Star, 9 Apr. 2025
  • The agency hopes the undertaking will accommodate population swells on Fort Worth’s western outskirts.
    — Jaime Moore-Carrillo, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 9 Apr. 2025
Definition of swell

Browse Nearby Words

multiplies
multiply
multiplying
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Cite this Entry

“Multiply.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/multiply. Accessed 17 Apr. 2025.

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