exponentially
Growth upon growth
Exponentially describes growth or increase at a rate proportional to current size—each step multiplies rather than adds.
In mathematics, exponential functions increase by a constant factor: 2, 4, 8, 16.
In casual use, exponentially often just means dramatically or rapidly: The problem grew exponentially worse.
This looser sense irritates mathematicians but dominates everyday speech.
Rapid increase in quantity
- multiplicationProduct-finding operation
- snowballingIncreasing by rapid accumulation
- ballooningSwelling or aerial drifting
- compoundingElements merging progressively
doubling · escalation · explosion · surge · amplification · burgeoning · mushrooming · cascading
Exponent-determining mathematical operation
- baseSupporting bottom structure
- powerEnergy transfer rate
- functionPurpose or duty
- calculusMathematical analysis system
equation · variable · curve · algorithm · polynomial · quadratic · factorial · binomial
Combined into one
- interestAttention, stake, or fee
- returnsProfits from investments
- investmentDeploying capital for returns
- principalChief school administrator
growth · wealth · portfolio · appreciation · reinvestment · yield · accumulation · doubling
Size or scale
- ordersInstructions to obey
- logarithmicBased on exponents
- tenfoldBy a factor of ten
- hundredfoldHundred times over
thousandfold · proportionally · vastly · immensely · dramatically · enormously · massively · monumentally
proliferation
Rapid increase in quantity
- multiplicationProduct-finding operation
- snowballingIncreasing by rapid accumulation
- ballooningSwelling or aerial drifting
compounding · doubling · escalation · explosion · surge · amplification · burgeoning · mushrooming · cascading · runaway
logarithm
Exponent-determining mathematical operation
calculus · equation · variable · curve · algorithm · polynomial · quadratic · factorial · binomial · coefficient
compound
Combined into one
- interestAttention, stake, or fee
- returnsProfits from investments
- investmentDeploying capital for returns
principal · growth · wealth · portfolio · appreciation · reinvestment · yield · accumulation · doubling · savings
magnitude
Size or scale
- ordersInstructions to obey
- logarithmicBased on exponents
- tenfoldBy a factor of ten
hundredfold · thousandfold · proportionally · vastly · immensely · dramatically · enormously · massively · monumentally · significantly
skyrocket
Rise sharply and suddenly
compound · accelerate · intensify · magnify · amplify · escalate · balloon · mushroom · snowball · swell
- math expressionsdo the math, add up, crunch numbers, number crunching, number cruncher
exponentiallylinearly
In straight progression
logarithmically · incrementally · arithmetically · additively · steadily
exponentiallymarginally
To a minor extent
slightly · minimally · negligibly · incrementally · imperceptibly
- exponential growthQuantity multiplying proportionally over time
- exponential functionOutput multiplies by fixed ratio
- exponential decayProportional decrease over time
- exponential curveGraph of doubling quantities