metastasize

verb

me·​tas·​ta·​size mə-ˈta-stə-ˌsīz 

metastasized; metastasizing

intransitive verb

: to spread or grow by or as if by metastasis

died of lung cancer which had metastasized throughout his body

—G. P. Elliott

Examples of metastasize in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Voters who were angry over how smartphones, social media, app stores, and EdTech had metastasized into something resembling a conspiracy against children, and who were anxious that automation might take their jobs, helped the president retake the White House. —Dan Perry, MSNBC Newsweek, 17 June 2025

For example, if your cancer has metastasized to your bone, O’Connor says your doctor may recommend being careful with lifting heavy things. —Korin Miller, Flow Space, 16 June 2025

News broke Sunday that Biden has been diagnosed with stage four prostate cancer, which has metastasized to his bones. —Nicole Russell, USA Today, 23 May 2025

But in around 8% of cases, the cancer has already metastasized by the time it’s diagnosed — and at that point, the patient has most likely had prostate cancer for several years to a decade. —Elizabeth Robinson, NBC news, 20 May 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1907, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for metastasize

• actualize
• antagonize
• apologise
• apologize
• capitalize
• categorize
• characterize
• commercialize
• conceptualize
• contrariwise
• criminalize
• decentralize

Kids Definition

metastasize

verb

me·​tas·​ta·​size mə-ˈtas-tə-ˌsīz 

: to spread or grow by or as if by metastasis

Medical Definition

metastasize

intransitive verb

me·​tas·​ta·​size

variants also British metastasise

mə-ˈtas-tə-ˌsīz 

metastasized also British metastasised; metastasizing also British metastasising

: to spread by metastasis

… all ten were primary brain cancers; that is, they had originated in the brain, and not metastasized there from elsewhere in the body.

—Paul Brodeur, The New Yorker

metastasization noun

also British metastasisation

mə-ˌtas-tə-sə-ˈzā-shən