exponential

/ˌekspəˈnenʃl/ (bre, ipa) · /ˌekspəˈnenʃl/ (ame, ipa) · /ˌek-spə-ˈnen(t)-shəl/ (ame, mw)

exponential — adjective

  • exponentialpositive
  • more exponentialcomparative
  • most exponentialsuperlative

1. describing a process where the amount or speed of something grows faster and fas

1.形容詞B2
釋義

describing a process where the amount or speed of something grows faster and faster over time — like a technology that jumps from a hundred users to a million in a few months, or a cost that doubles each year.

例句

The company's revenue doubled every six months, showing exponential growth that outpaced all competitors.

exponential + growth — most common collocation

Aiko watched the exponential rise in her monthly podcast listeners.

同義詞
  • explosive

    suggests sudden, dramatic growth, often with destructive force; more dramatic than 'exponential'

  • meteoric

    emphasises very fast but possibly short-lived rise; less precise about steady acceleration

  • rapid

    general term for fast increase; does not imply that the speed is still accelerating

反義詞
  • gradual

    describes slow, steady change over time

  • linear

    describes growth at a constant rate, not an accelerating one

文法句型

exponential + noun (growth/rate/rise/pace)

be + exponential

用法筆記

Common in business, technology, and public-health writing. The adjective is used both before nouns ('exponential growth') and after linking verbs ('the increase was exponential'). The adverb form 'exponentially' ('to grow exponentially') is equally frequent.

常見錯誤

❌The company's costs grew exponential.
✅The company's costs grew exponentially.
💡'exponential' is an adjective; after a verb, use the adverb 'exponentially'.
❌There was a exponential rise in sales.
✅There was an exponential rise in sales.
💡'exponential' begins with a vowel sound, so the article must be 'an'.

2. relating to a mathematical operation in which a quantity is raised to a power —

2.形容詞C1
釋義

relating to a mathematical operation in which a quantity is raised to a power — for instance, the expression 2³ involves the base 2 and the exponent 3, making it an exponential statement.

例句

The students learned to solve exponential equations like 2ˣ = 32 in their Thursday algebra class.

exponential + equation — common math term

Ravi drew an exponential curve whose y-values climbed from 1 to 32 in five steps.

同義詞
  • logarithmic

    the inverse relationship; used for the opposite type of function

  • power-law

    describes relationships of the form y = xⁿ; similar but not identical to exponential

反義詞
  • linear

    describes a constant rate of change (y = mx + b), not a power-based relationship

文法句型

exponential + noun (function/equation/curve/expression)

用法筆記

Restricted to mathematics and related technical fields (physics, engineering, computer science). Typically appears attributively before nouns such as 'function', 'equation', or 'expression'. Learners below C1 level are unlikely to encounter this sense outside a formal math class.