run rampant

idiom

: to be very common or to spread very quickly and in a way that is difficult to control
Rumors of her engagement ran rampant.

Examples of run rampant in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Arizona State University is one of several dozen universities accused by the Trump administration of allowing antisemitic harassment and discrimination to run rampant on campus. Jessica Boehm, Axios, 11 Mar. 2025 Cheaper laughs run rampant, invoking and evacuating seriousness in one limp gesture, smothering any thought or feeling at risk of requiring fortitude. Lauren Michele Jackson, The New Yorker, 27 Feb. 2025 Ever since Daniel Craig retired from the role in 2021 after appearing in five of the franchise’s films, speculation has run rampant about who will star as the unstoppable British agent. Eric Andersson, People.com, 13 Mar. 2025 Fraudsters run rampant in the e-commerce, payments and cypto space, for example, when there is more opportunity to do so. Sanjeev Menon, Forbes, 27 Feb. 2025 See All Example Sentences for run rampant

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Run rampant.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/run%20rampant. Accessed 3 Apr. 2025.

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!