abound
Americanverb (used without object)
-
abounds,
present (3rd person singular)
-
abounded,
past participle, past
-
abounding
present participle
-
to occur or exist in great quantities or numbers.
a stream in which trout abound.
-
to be rich or well supplied (usually followed byin ).
The region abounds in coal.
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to be filled; teem (usually followed bywith ).
The ship abounds with rats.
verb
-
to exist or occur in abundance; be plentiful
a swamp in which snakes abound
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to be plentifully supplied (with); teem (with)
the gardens abound with flowers
the fields abound in corn
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
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aboundsimple
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aboundssimple
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have aboundedperfect
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has aboundedperfect
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am aboundingprogressive
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are aboundingprogressive
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is aboundingprogressive
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have been aboundingperfect progressive
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has been aboundingperfect progressive
Past
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aboundedsimple
-
had aboundedperfect
-
was aboundingprogressive
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were aboundingprogressive
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had been aboundingperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of abound
1325–75; Middle English abounden < Latin abundāre to overflow, equivalent to ab- ab- + undāre to move in waves; see undulate
Explanation
When things abound, there are a lot of them. In spring, birds, flowers, rain, and frisbees abound. This word has to do with an abundance of something. In cities like Buffalo, NY, snow abounds. In very hot weather, insects and suntan lotion abound. Dogs are happy at the park when squirrels abound — meaning there are a lot of squirrels. On the moon, rocks abound, but that's about it.
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
See Examples For:
Nike skeptics abound, including Alexander Shapiro, an independent brand consultant who works with Chinese and Western brands and says Nike’s international marketing strategy doesn’t work for China.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 28, 2026
Uncertainties abound, he said, including how big the surf may get and how severe coastal flooding may be.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 24, 2026
Stories abound of local townspeople seeing energy bills soar when they are asked to foot the bill for the infrastructure needed to power new data centres, or finding their already stretched water supplies further diminished.
From BBC ● Sep. 15, 2026
On Reddit, and across Microsoft’s own Tech Community forums, more such claims abound of surprise deletion without notification.
From Slate ● Aug. 18, 2026
“No. It is merely a shrine meant to honor her. Similar shrines abound on my property, and all can be dangerous.”
From "Fablehaven" by Brandon Mull
Optimism abounds, even on the city website, which promotes it as “one of the fastest growing suburbs of the San Francisco Bay Area.”
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 13, 2026
Trading apps have replaced bucket shops, but Wall Street abounds with eerie parallels to 1901.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 2, 2026
On YouTube, the very same platform hosting Duffy’s vapid post-vacation slideshow, content abounds showing soccer lovers’ appreciation for our fast-food joints, rowdy dance clubs and ranch dressing.
From Salon ● Aug. 23, 2026
Speculation about the president’s health, and how he is aging, abounds.
From Slate ● Jun. 14, 2026
The official ideology abounds with contradictions even where there is no practical reason for them.
From "1984" by George Orwell
This proved true, for the most part: Many visitors clearly knew and loved “Star Wars,” and Princess Leia buns and Yoda ears abounded.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 23, 2026
Bright spirits have abounded on so far on Saturday, although the festival was noticeably quieter in the afternoon than in previous years.
From BBC ● Jun. 20, 2026
Epstein references abounded on signs at the rally; Routhier, who was also wearing a fuzzy pig hat, was one of hundreds who had worked Trump’s exchange with the reporter into their protest gear.
From Salon ● Nov. 29, 2025
Chris Anderson took over TED 25 years ago, when the internet was young and optimism abounded about the future it could deliver.
From Barron's ● Oct. 15, 2025
The United States abounded with dollar bills, baseball sluggers, raccoon coats, diamond jewelry—and lonely, immigrant bachelors.
From "Middlesex: A Novel" by Jeffrey Eugenides
Despite theories abounding as to how he got there, police say there is no evidence at this point to suggest a crime has been committed.
From BBC ● Mar. 8, 2026
To solve these labor shortages, countries should utilize workers from around the world, with talent abounding in developing regions like Africa and South East Asia, she says.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jan. 20, 2026
Psalm 103: “The Lord is compassionate and gracious, slow to anger, abounding in love.”
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 26, 2025
The previous ranking member, California Sen. Dianne Feinstein, was deemed to have blown the Amy Coney Barrett Supreme Court confirmation hearings the previous fall, while questions about the now-89-year-old’s age were already abounding.
From Slate ● May 10, 2023
Ginnie openly considered Selena the biggest drip at Miss Basehoar’s—a school ostensibly abounding with fair-sized drips—but at the same time she had never known anyone like Selena for bringing fresh cans of tennis balls.
From "Nine Stories" by J. D. Salinger
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Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
