rampant

Very common or widespread, especially when something is harmful or wrong.

• Corruption was rampant in the city.
• The report exposed rampant cheating in schools.
• Rampant disease left many villages without enough workers.

Similar words: widespread, rife, prevalent

Opposites: rare

Common phrases: rampant corruption, rampant crime, rampant fraud

Growing or continuing without control, usually in a harmful way.

• Weeds ran rampant behind the house.
• Rampant growth soon covered the old path.
• Without proper controls, spending can become rampant.

How to use it: run rampant (Weeds ran rampant in the empty garden.)

Similar words: uncontrolled, unchecked, unrestrained

Opposites: controlled, restrained

Common phrases: run rampant, rampant growth, rampant weeds

Shown from the side, standing on the back legs with a front leg raised, on a shield or emblem.

• The shield shows a lion rampant.
• A bear rampant appears on the family's coat of arms.
• The rampant lion faces left with one foreleg raised.

Common phrases: a lion rampant, a bear rampant, a rampant lion

Standing up on both back legs with the front legs stretched forward.

• The horse stood rampant.
• The trainer demonstrated the stallion's rampant movement.
• A rampant horse must balance on its hind legs.

Similar words: rearing

Common phrases: a rampant horse, rampant movement, a rampant stallion