abound
verb
Simple meaning
To be present or available in large numbers or quantities.
Pronunciation
Say it like this:
uhbowndSay the bold part a little louder.
IPA pronunciation (US)
əˈbaʊnd
This word is pronounced essentially the same in American and British English, so one transcription covers both.
IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) is a standard way of writing speech sounds.
Definition
Everyday modern meanings first, grouped by part of speech.
verb
intransitive
To be present or available in large numbers or quantities; to be plentiful.
intransitive
To be full to overflowing; to bristle.
intransitive
To be highly productive.
To be copiously supplied.
intransitive
To revel in.
Word at a Glance
- Difficulty
- C1 · Advanced
- Frequency
- Uncommon
- Typical Use
- Neutral / general English
Word Aura™
How this word commonly comes across.
Aura for this meaning
This meaning: To be present or available in large numbers or quantities; to be plentiful.
When things 'abound,' it often suggests a positive or overwhelming presence, more vibrant than simply saying 'many.' It's like they're overflowing. You often see it paired with prepositions like 'in' or 'with.'
- Emotional tone
- Positive
- Formality
- Slightly formal
- Intensity
- Gentle
- How common
- Moderately common
- Connotation
- Rich and abundant
- Usage feel
- Reflective and slightly elevated
Where you'll really hear it
Nature documentaries
“Fish abound in these crystal-clear waters during spawning season.”
Formal reports
“New opportunities for growth now abound throughout the region.”
Word Aura describes common impressions, not a measurement. Tone changes with sentence, speaker, relationship and situation.
More ways to use abound
- “The room abounded with screaming children.”verb
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Common Patterns and Combinations
How this word naturally appears with others.
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Word Family
Related forms, grouped by how they connect.
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Dictionary data from Wiktionary via the Free Dictionary API. Simple meanings, combinations and word intelligence are built from verified reference data, no AI is used to load this page.