exponential
Americanadjective
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of or relating to an exponent or exponents.
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Mathematics.
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of or relating to the constant e.
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(of an equation) having one or more unknown variables in one or more exponents.
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rising or expanding at a steady, rapid rate.
a city experiencing exponential growth.
noun
adjective
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maths (of a function, curve, series, or equation) of, containing, or involving one or more numbers or quantities raised to an exponent, esp e x
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exp. maths raised to the power of e, the base of natural logarithms
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of or involving an exponent or exponents
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informal very rapid
noun
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Relating to a mathematical expression containing one or more exponents.
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◆ Something is said to increase or decrease exponentially if its rate of change must be expressed using exponents. A graph of such a rate would appear not as a straight line, but as a curve that continually becomes steeper or shallower.
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of exponential
Explanation
Exponential describes a very rapid increase. An exponential rise in the number of first graders with head lice might be a result of all the hat sharing that's gone on lately. Exponential is also a mathematical term, meaning "involving an exponent." When you raise a number to the tenth power, for example, that's an exponential increase in that number. When your next door neighbor describes the exponential growth of her rose bushes or the exponential increase in members of her book group, she means that there's been a sharp, fast expansion of both things.
Vocabulary lists containing exponential
An Excerpt from "The Underground Railroad" by Colson Whitehead
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Algebra
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The ACT Math Test: Functions
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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.
Researchers and industry experts believe the first company to master it could set off an exponential cycle of progress, pulling so far ahead that competitors can no longer catch up.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 17, 2026
They discuss the exponential pace of AI development, what the big companies are or are not doing to protect humans from apocalypse, and the simultaneous governmental and industry cooperation that could help manage risks.
From Slate ● Sep. 10, 2026
"AI glasses confirmed their exponential growth, almost doubling in sales in the second quarter versus last year," the company said.
From Barron's ● Jul. 28, 2026
In computing, Moore’s Law captures a dynamic of innovation driving exponential gains in chip performance.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 12, 2026
The universe would have started off with a period of exponential or “inflationary” expansion in which it would have increased its size by a very large factor.
From "A Brief History of Time: And Other Essays" by Stephen Hawking
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.
