Abound Definition, Usage, and Common Examples

Meaning 1：be plentiful (abound)

abound 🔊

/əˈbaʊnd/

vi.

to be present in very large numbers; to exist in great quantity.

Abound scene: colorful fish teeming in clear tropical ocean water

be plentiful 🔊

➕

/biː ˈplɛntɪfəl/

vi.

To exist in large numbers or quantities; to be very common or abundant.

📁 Category：Natural Geography 🔖 Level：Intermediate

📘 Details & Usage

📖 Root Explanation

From Latin 'abundare' (ab- 'away' + unda 'wave'), meaning 'to overflow', thus 'to be plentiful'.

💡 Mnemonic

Think of 'a bound' as a limit; 'abound' means beyond bounds, like waves overflowing.

📖 Example

The tropical rainforest abounds with strange creatures and sounds. 🔊 The tropical rainforest is full of strange creatures and sounds.

🔗 Collocations

abound with – to be filled with

abound in – to be rich in

abound in/with – to have plenty of

🔄 Synonyms

teem (vi.) – to be full of or swarming with

proliferate (vi.) – to increase rapidly in number

swarm (vi.) – to be crowded with

🚫 Antonyms

decline (vi.) – to become smaller or fewer

diminish (vi.) – to become less

wane (vi.) – to decrease gradually

🌱 Derivatives

abundance (n.) – a very large quantity of something

abundant (adj.) – existing in large quantities

abundantly (adv.) – in large quantities; plentifully

📖 Cultural Story

Originates from Latin 'abundare' (overflow), combining 'ab' (away) and 'unda' (wave). The image of water overflowing led to the sense of great quantity.