exponentially

American  

[ek-spoh-nen-shuh-lee, ‐spuh‐] / ˌɛk spoʊˈnɛn ʃə li, ‐spə‐ /

adverb

1. at a steady, rapid rate.

   The cost of a college education has increased exponentially over the last 30 years.

2. Mathematics. at a continuous rate of growth or decay that can be calculated using the constant e, according to the rules of raising e to the power of a positive or negative exponent.

   Any population growing exponentially must, sooner or later, encounter shortages of resources.

   The measurable rate at which a radioactive nuclide’s atoms decay exponentially is the basis of radiometric dating.

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Other Word Forms

• nonexponentially
  adverb

Etymology

Origin of exponentially

exponential ( def. ) + -ly

Explanation

Use exponentially when you want to say that something's increasing quickly by large amounts. Your friends and colleagues will be pleased to hear that your vocabulary is growing exponentially. The root of exponentially is the French verb exponere, meaning “to put out.” Think of a factory that puts out so many products its creations seem to increase exponentially. The mathematical origin of this word has to do with multiplying a number by itself so think also of rabbits, who are known for multiplying exponentially. Now imagine if rabbits worked in a factory... (No animals were harmed during this explanation).

Example Sentences

According to Cognition, Devin’s annual recurring revenue jumped to $73 million in June 2025 from $1 million in September 2024 as usage increased exponentially.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 14, 2026

But there weren’t these viral explosions of things about people, that grew exponentially.

From Slate • May 12, 2026

Recreating a quantum computer on a traditional supercomputer is extremely demanding because the complexity grows exponentially with every added qubit.

From Science Daily • May 11, 2026

The prevailing theory is that the first to achieve AGI will secure a prize that multiplies itself: a self-training, recursively improving intelligence, growing exponentially and leaving all competitors in its wake.

From Los Angeles Times • May 11, 2026

As the planet Chthonia grew larger in my cockpit window, the density and number of ships around me seemed to increase exponentially.

From "Ready Player One: A Novel" by Ernest Cline