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
-
aboundedsimple
-
had aboundedperfect
-
was aboundingprogressive
-
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.
Vocabulary lists containing abound
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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:
Symbols of neglect and urban decay abound in artist Sayre Gomez’s “Precious Moments” at David Kordansky Gallery, on view through March 1.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 20, 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
The disaster has claimed over 4,000 lives and injured almost 17,000 more people, and questions about the economic impact abound.
From Barron's ● Jul. 11, 2026
The topic is unwieldy, and fundamental mysteries abound.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 12, 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
While scepticism abounds among this generation of students, some believe AI may be able to solve some of the very problems it's exacerbating.
From BBC ● Jun. 23, 2026
Speculation about the president’s health, and how he is aging, abounds.
From Slate ● Jun. 14, 2026
Still, skepticism abounds about whether the 400 million barrel release will be enough to keep prices below $100 a barrel.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Mar. 11, 2026
Uncertainty abounds, fueling inflation that, according to the International Monetary Fund, may soar to almost 700% this year.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jan. 30, 2026
The literature of veterinary medicine abounds in similar examples: swine eating sprayed cockleburs with consequent severe illness, lambs eating sprayed thistles, bees poisoned by pasturing on mustard sprayed after it came into bloom.
From "Silent Spring" by Rachel Carson
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
Kavanagh had never set foot in the state and part of his steep California learning curve was devouring as many newspapers — back when they abounded — as he could.
From Los Angeles Times ● Apr. 5, 2026
Pendants and brooches packed with artificial intelligence abounded at the Consumer Electronics show, using cameras and microphones to watch and listen through the day like a vigilant personal assistant.
From Barron's ● Jan. 11, 2026
William H. Herndon, Lincoln’s future law partner and biographer, said “it was highly sophomoric in character and abounded in striking and lofty metaphor . . . the thing people expect from a young man.”
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 7, 2025
Most cases of sabotage were not reported in our controlled press, but rumors abounded.
From "The Hiding Place" by Corrie ten Boom
With conversations already bubbling up in response to public sentiment about AI and doom and gloom predictions abounding, here’s what to know.
From The Wall Street Journal ● May 7, 2026
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
Psalm 103: “The Lord is compassionate and gracious, slow to anger, abounding in love.”
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 26, 2025
We live in a land of abounding quackeries and if we do not learn how to laugh, we succumb to the melancholy disease which afflicts the race of viewers-with-alarm.
From Salon ● Feb. 22, 2024
My willingness to do so was hampered by an abounding ignorance of how it should be done and a fumbling awkwardness with small objects.
From "I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings" by Maya Angelou
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
