# multiply

/ˈməɫtəˌpɫaɪ/ (US)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/multiply
Updated: 2026-06-20

## Senses

### 1. mathematics

verb · CEFR B1

to add a number to itself a specific number of times.

For teachers: to perform the mathematical operation of multiplication. Often used with the preposition 'by'.

- If you multiply three by five, the answer is fifteen.
- Students are expected to multiply multi-digit integers without the aid of a calculator by the end of the semester.

### 2. to increase in number

verb · CEFR B2

to increase greatly in number or amount.

For teachers: to increase significantly in quantity or intensity. Often used intransitively to describe rapid growth.

- Complaints from customers began to multiply after the price increase.
- As the economic crisis deepened, the challenges facing the small business community continued to multiply at an alarming rate.

### 3. to breed

verb · CEFR C1 · Technical

to produce many young animals or plants.

For teachers: to breed or propagate offspring, typically in large numbers.

- Bacteria can multiply very quickly in warm conditions.
- Under ideal laboratory conditions, the virus can multiply within the host cells in a matter of hours.

### 4. in many ways

adverb · CEFR C2 · Formal · Academic

in many different ways or in multiple places.

For teachers: in a multiple manner; in many ways or parts.

- The author is multiply talented, working as a writer, painter, and musician.
- The study suggests that the protein is multiply regulated by several distinct cellular pathways simultaneously.

## Examples

- If you multiply five by three, you get fifteen.
- The bacteria began to multiply rapidly once the temperature in the lab reached thirty degrees.
- Economists warn that while the initial costs are low, the long-term interest payments will multiply the total debt until it becomes unsustainable for the average household.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.