Word
exponentially
Phoneticsex·po·nen·tial·ly, stress on the third syllable
US/ˌɛkspoʊˈnɛnʃəɫi/
UK/ˌɛkspənˈɛnʃəlˌi/
Adverb of manner
Definitions
01mathematical growth
C1 · Advanced Mathematics Academic · Technical
adv. describes a quantity that grows at a rate that keeps getting faster.
adv. relating to an increase expressed by an exponential function, where the rate of change is proportional to the function's current value.
“The bacteria in the lab dish grew exponentially every hour.”
“In the early stages of the epidemic, the number of new infections increased exponentially before public health interventions began to take effect.”
Usage
Commonly modifies verbs of growth like 'increase', 'grow', or 'expand'.
Synonyms
Antonyms
02very rapidly
C1 · Advanced Informal
adv. used to say that something is increasing by a very large amount in a short time.
adv. used in a non-technical sense to denote extremely rapid or vast increases in scale or intensity.
“The popularity of the new app grew exponentially after the celebrity's post.”
“The complexity of the project has increased exponentially since we added the third phase to the original plan.”
Pitfall
The price increased exponentially by two percent.
The price increased steadily by two percent.
Do not use 'exponentially' for a fixed, slow increase; it implies the speed of growth itself is accelerating.
Teaching tip
Strict grammarians and scientists often dislike this informal use, preferring 'rapidly' unless the growth truly follows a mathematical curve.
Synonyms
Collocations
Common phrases and expressions where native English speakers use the word “exponentially” in context.
Verb
01. exponentially increase
“The demand for renewable energy is expected to exponentially increase over the next decade.”
adv + verb
Real-World Examples
“The number of papers indexed in the databases Scopus and Web of Science, for example, has recently been increasing exponentially , at a rate of 5.6 percent per year.” “In a time where the women’s game is growing exponentially and world class talents are queueing up to dethrone the midfielder, she remains at the top.” “Solar storm particle flux is usually dominated by lower-energy protons, with high-energy ones exponentially rarer, which is why the vest performed as it did.” Etymology
From exponential + -ly.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Word family
NOUN
ADJECTIVE
ADVERB
Domain
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.C1 AdvancedIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.7.0–8.0TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 5.0–5.595–113TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.945–990
- Frequency
- Frequent
- Level
- C1 · Advanced
- Updated
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englishreference.com/q/exponentially