English Reference
Verb

abound

v.
C1 Advanced US /əˈbaʊnd/ UK /ɐbˈaʊnd/ abound UK spelling abounded, abounds

v.to exist in very large numbers or amounts. You use this when you want to say that a place is full of something.

v.to exist in great quantity or to be prevalent. Intransitive; typically used with the preposition 'in' or 'with' to indicate the location or the substance that is plentiful.


SIMPLE

Wildflowers abound in the hills during spring.

CONTEXTUAL

Rumors about the company's potential merger abound, despite several official denials from the board of directors.

COMPLEX

The coastal waters abound with diverse marine life, providing a rich ecosystem that supports both local fishing communities and international research efforts.

Usage

The verb is intransitive. It is frequently followed by 'in' (e.g., 'fish abound in the lake') or 'with' (e.g., 'the lake abounds with fish').

Pitfall
The forest abounds many treesThe forest abounds with many trees

Abound is intransitive and cannot take a direct object; it requires a preposition like 'with' or 'in'.

Reminiscences abound, including the lively 1947: Suite for Orchestra recalling one of the hottest summers on record.

The Guardian· 21 Aug 2026

Tricia Elam Walker’s 2021 book, “ Dream Street ,” illustrates the joy and hopefulness that abounds within a Black community on a block named Dream Street.

The Conversation· 14 Jul 2026

* First attested around 1325. * From Middle English abounden, abounde, from Old French abonder, abunder, from Latin abundāre (“overflow”), which comes from ab (“from, down from”) + undō (“surge, swell, rise in waves, move in waves”), from unda (“wave”).

Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.

This entry
Origin Latin abundō
Level C1 · Advanced
Frequency Frequent
Updated