multiply
1 Americanverb (used with object)
-
to make many or manifold; increase the number, quantity, etc., of.
-
Arithmetic. to find the product of by multiplication.
-
to breed (animals).
-
to propagate (plants).
-
to increase by procreation.
verb (used without object)
-
to grow in number, quantity, etc.; increase.
- Synonyms:
- mushroom, grow, proliferate
-
Arithmetic. to perform the process of multiplication.
-
to increase in number by procreation or natural generation.
adverb
verb
-
to increase or cause to increase in number, quantity, or degree
-
(tr) to combine (two numbers or quantities) by multiplication
-
(intr) to increase in number by reproduction
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
-
multipliableadjective
-
self-multipliedadjective
-
self-multiplyingadjective
-
unmultipliedadjective
-
unmultiplyingadjective
Inflected Forms
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
-
multiplysimple
-
multipliessimple
-
have multipliedperfect
-
has multipliedperfect
-
am multiplyingprogressive
-
are multiplyingprogressive
-
is multiplyingprogressive
-
have been multiplyingperfect progressive
-
has been multiplyingperfect progressive
Past
-
multipliedsimple
-
had multipliedperfect
-
was multiplyingprogressive
-
were multiplyingprogressive
-
had been multiplyingperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of multiply1
First recorded in 1225–75; Middle English multiplien, from Old French multiplier, from Latin multiplicāre; see multi-, ply 2
Origin of multiply2
Explanation
When you multiply two numbers, you increase the first by the same number that's specified by the second. In other words, when you multiply two by three, you add together three twos. When you're doing simple math problems, you can multiply by memorizing lists of times tables — or you can add one number as many times as the second number: four times two is the same as two fours, or eight. Another way to multiply is simply to increase or expand greatly: "If the diner starts serving homemade pie, their profits will multiply." The Latin root is multiplicare, "to increase," from multiplex, "having many folds."
Vocabulary lists containing multiply
Ratios and Proportional Relationships
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
Number and Operations: Fractions
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
Operations and Algebraic Thinking
Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!
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:
Boeing's MQ-28 Ghost Bat is an uncrewed aircraft, developed with the Royal Australian Air Force, to fly alongside crewed fighter jets carrying out electronic warfare and surveillance and to help multiply forces.
From Barron's ● Jul. 24, 2026
As a facultative anaerobic bacterium, it thrives in both oxygen rich and oxygen poor environments, allowing it to multiply inside the oxygen deprived regions commonly found within tumors.
From Science Daily ● Jul. 10, 2026
They could trade stocks and bonds ahead of the news and even multiply bets by borrowing.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 18, 2026
A sharp decline in the stock could strip him of the title just as quickly as continued gains could multiply it.
From BBC ● Jun. 15, 2026
"Was she lying, then," Miss Honey said, "when she told me that nobody taught her to multiply or to read? Did either of you teach her?"
From "Matilda" by Roald Dahl
A triple-leveraged ETF that multiplies those daily changes would wind up being worth about 1.4% less than the starting amount before expenses, which are often significant.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 12, 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
Datadog, down 25%, and Snowflake, down 41%, are in this group, too, although they’re younger companies trading at high multiplies of earnings.
From Barron's ● Apr. 16, 2026
Each reuse multiplies the value of the original dataset, ensuring that no discovery is wasted, every contribution can spark the next breakthrough, and researchers gain recognition for their work.
From Science Daily ● Oct. 13, 2025
When a hot virus multiplies in a host, it can saturate the body with virus particles, from the brain to the skin.
From "The Hot Zone" by Richard Preston
The researchers monitored how quickly each bacterial culture multiplied and whether its growth slowed or stopped.
From Science Daily ● Jul. 17, 2026
A Niçoise salad is a meal in itself that can be prepped ahead of time, and multiplied to feed many.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 7, 2026
Rumors have been rampant for weeks over the couple's wedding, with no official confirmation, but clues have multiplied around Madison Square Garden.
From Barron's ● Jul. 2, 2026
This is multiplied many times over throughout defense spending and dealing with climate change.
From Salon ● Jun. 15, 2026
I frowned as my thoughts tumbled and multiplied.
From "Chains" by Laurie Halse Anderson
It might not be accurate, but it is close enough that people can apply their situation to it by multiplying up or down.
From MarketWatch ● Jul. 22, 2026
If one of those changes allows a cell to survive a drug that kills other tumor cells, that resistant cell can continue multiplying.
From Science Daily ● Jul. 22, 2026
The most in-demand products are server racks that house AI processing cards -- a key component for the data centers multiplying across the United States.
From Barron's ● Jul. 21, 2026
Pricey options to escape airport hordes and hassles are multiplying as affluent travelers seek more comfort and less friction without shelling out for a private jet.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 15, 2026
Thus, no matter what you do, multiplying a number by zero gives you zero.
From "Zero: The Biography of a Dangerous Idea" by Charles Seife
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.
