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Prepositions after adjectives

How to use rampant with prepositions

Rampant usually describes something spreading widely or uncontrollably. Different prepositions highlight place, groups, or extent.

Quick answer

Main uses

Use rampant in for places or systems, rampant among for groups of people or animals, and rampant throughout for wide spread across an area. Rampant with is used before nouns like corruption or disease to describe a condition. Rampant on is uncommon after rampant.

Corruption is rampant in the industry.
The disease spread rampant among cattle.
Rumours were rampant throughout the city.

Choose the pattern by meaning

These forms are not interchangeable. Choose the construction by meaning, not by which preposition appears most often.

1
rampant in + place/system

Widespread in a location or institution

Use rampant in for environments where something is common and uncontrolled.

Fraud became rampant in the sector.
Violence was rampant in the region.
2
rampant among + group

Spreading within a group

Among highlights the people or animals affected.

Fear was rampant among investors.
The infection was rampant among chickens.
3
rampant throughout + area

Existing across a whole area

Throughout emphasises broad spread across many places.

Speculation was rampant throughout the market.
The weed grew rampant throughout the valley.
4
rampant with + problem

Full of something harmful

Rampant with describes a place or thing filled with problems or negative conditions.

The prison was rampant with disease.
The organisation was rampant with corruption.

See the difference in context

The same subject can take different constructions because each sentence answers a different question.

Construction
Example
Meaning
rampant in
Crime is rampant in the capital.
widespread in a place or system
rampant among
Panic was rampant among passengers.
spreading through a group
rampant throughout
Misinformation was rampant throughout the network.
spread widely across an area
rampant with
The files were rampant with errors.
full of something negative
rampant on
Rampant on social media is possible only when on introduces a platform.
on usually functions as a place adjunct, not a fixed complement

Common mistakes

Some combinations appear in real text but do not mean what learners often assume.

Treating on as the normal complement

On usually introduces a platform or surface rather than depending directly on rampant.

✓ False information is rampant on social media.

Using among for places

Among is for groups, not locations.

✕ Crime is rampant among the city. ✓ Crime is rampant in the city.

Confusing with and in

Rampant with means full of something, while rampant in identifies the location.

✓ The office was rampant with gossip.

Quick practice

Choose the expression that matches the intended meaning.

1. Corruption was rampant ___ the organisation.
2. The virus spread rampant ___ farm animals.
3. Rumours were rampant ___ the country.

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Frequently asked questions

Can I say rampant on social media?

Yes. On introduces the platform where something spreads, not a fixed preposition after rampant.

What does rampant with mean?

It means full of something harmful or uncontrolled.

Is rampant always negative?

Almost always. It usually describes harmful growth or spread.

racist-in-against-for-to, towards "radical in" or "radical for"? "rare in" or "rare for"? "rational for" or "rational in"? "raw in", "raw for" or "raw with"? reachable by, from, on, in or through? "reactive to", "reactive rather" or "reactive in"? ready for, to, in, at or by? "realistic about" or "realistic in"? "real to", "real for" or "real in"? rearing of, as or on? "reasonable for" or "reasonable in"?

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