rampant
adjective/ˈræmpənt/
/ˈræmpənt/
- (of something bad) existing or spreading everywhere in a way that cannot be controlled synonym unchecked
- rampant inflation/corruption
- Unemployment is now rampant in most of Europe.
- (of plants) growing thickly and very fast in a way that cannot be controlled
Word OriginMiddle English (as a heraldic term): from Old French, literally ‘crawling’, present participle of ramper ‘creep, crawl’, of unknown origin. From the original use describing a wild animal, arose the sense ‘fierce’, leading to the current notion of ‘unrestrained’.
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rampant