exponentially

USAGE SUMMARY

The word "exponentially" is correct and usable in written English.
It is an adverb used to describe how something increases in scope or magnitude at a very rapid rate. For example, you could say, "The number of people using smartphones has increased exponentially over the past decade."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Formal & Business

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

The use of mobile money services has increased exponentially.

The Guardian

"It provided the opportunity to increase our intelligence holdings of the motorcycle gangs and they have increased exponentially.

The Guardian

More likely, if the mandate would be struck down, the financial burden of health care costs would keep rising exponentially for the next 20 years, or however long it would take for scaredy-cats in Congress to broach the dangerous issue of comprehensive health care reform again.

The Guardian

If you add families that currently live in inadequate homes, the number increases exponentially.

The Guardian

While he was president, the rate of black incarceration grew exponentially thanks to his "three strikes and you're out" law, which established mandatory life sentences for those convicted of a third felony and other "tough on crime" policies lead.

The Guardian - Opinion

The planet's resources are finite and can't be exploited exponentially.

The Guardian

Meanwhile, vehicle sales are growing exponentially – the figure just for November 2014 was 1,603,292, up more than 5% on October's total.

The Guardian - Travel

Money supply, broadly stable in the 1960-70s, escalated five-fold by 1990 and then continued to rise exponentially to 2011, a 20-fold explosion after Thatcher dismantled all controls over bank credit.

The Guardian

Niland said police knowledge of gang workings had increased "exponentially" in line with more informants and direct contact with bikies.

The Guardian

But Unix, another contender with roots in the 1970s, has outpaced it in two exponentially growing markets.

The Economist

Worryingly, the risk of an extreme event seems to rise exponentially as mean temperatures creep up.

The Economist

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "exponentially" to describe increases that are rapidly accelerating, not merely large or substantial gains. This ensures you accurately convey the nature of the growth.

Common error

Avoid using "exponentially" when the increase is actually linear or arithmetic. Stick to terms like "steadily", "gradually", or "consistently" to describe linear growth accurately.

Linguistic Context

The adverb "exponentially" modifies verbs, adjectives, or other adverbs to indicate that something is increasing at an accelerating rate. Ludwig provides numerous examples demonstrating its correct usage. It emphasizes the rapid and accelerating nature of the growth.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

57%

Formal & Business

22%

Science

21%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "exponentially" is a versatile adverb used to describe a rapidly accelerating rate of increase. Ludwig AI confirms its grammatical correctness and common usage across diverse contexts, particularly in news, business, and science. While "exponentially" effectively conveys rapid growth, be mindful of overuse and ensure the context genuinely reflects accelerating growth rather than linear increases. Alternatives like "at an accelerating rate" or "by leaps and bounds" can add nuance. Using the adverb correctly improves precision and clarity in writing, as Ludwig's examples demonstrate. The term has a register that ranges from neutral to formal.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

at a geometric rate

Specifically references the mathematical concept of geometric progression, similar to exponential growth.

increasing by orders of magnitude

Emphasizes a very large increase, referencing powers of ten.

at an accelerating rate

Focuses on the increasing speed of the growth, highlighting the acceleration component.

rapidly escalating

Highlights the quick and potentially alarming nature of the growth or increase.

by leaps and bounds

Implies very rapid progress or increase, using an idiomatic expression.

increasing manyfold

Expresses a large multiplication or increase in quantity.

sharply increasing

Emphasizes the steepness of the increase, focusing on the visual aspect of a graph.

spiraling upward

Conveys a sense of continuous and rapid ascent or increase.

mushrooming rapidly

Suggests a quick and widespread growth, like the spread of mushrooms.

growing substantially

Indicates a significant amount of increase, without specifying the rate.

FAQs

How can I use "exponentially" in a sentence?

You can use "exponentially" to describe a rate of increase that becomes more rapid over time. For instance, "The demand for renewable energy is growing "exponentially"" indicates that the demand is not just increasing, but the rate of increase itself is also accelerating.

What's the difference between "exponentially" and "significantly"?

"Significantly" implies a considerable increase, while "exponentially" implies a rate of increase that grows at an accelerating pace. Something that grows "exponentially" is increasing much faster than something that grows "significantly".

Which is correct, "increased exponentially" or "increased in an exponential manner"?

Both are grammatically correct, but "increased "exponentially"" is more concise and commonly used. "Increased in an exponential manner" is more formal and less frequent.

What can I say instead of "growing exponentially"?

You can use alternatives like "growing "at an accelerating rate"", "increasing "by leaps and bounds"", or "expanding "rapidly escalating" depending on the specific context.