What does abound mean?
To abound is to exist in great quantity or to be richly supplied with something. A writer might say that opportunities abound in a growing city, meaning such chances are plentiful there, or that a novel abounds with vivid detail, meaning it is filled with them. The word takes two common constructions: 'abound in' places the emphasis on the location or sphere where something flourishes, while 'abound with' emphasises the thing that is teeming or overflowing. Abound is largely formal or literary in register, appearing frequently in journalism, scholarship, and elevated prose rather than casual conversation, and it generally carries favourable connotations of fertility, richness, and vitality. Derived from the Latin abundare, 'to overflow', via Old French, it entered English in the late medieval period and has remained a staple of descriptive writing ever since. Its endurance reflects a genuine gap in the language: few words capture sheer plentifulness so gracefully.
To exist in large quantities; to be plentiful or prevalent.
"Legends abound about the origin of the ancient temple."
Typically intransitive; followed by 'in' when the subject is the location, or 'with' when the subject is the container.
To be richly supplied or filled with something.
"The region abounds with historic castles and rolling vineyards."
Often used in the passive-like sense where the subject is the thing that is full.
Shakespeare loved this word so much he used it across at least a dozen plays — and it still hasn't gone out of style five centuries later.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of abound
Abound derives from the Latin abundare, meaning 'to overflow', formed from ab- ('from') plus undare ('to surge like a wave'), itself rooted in unda, 'wave'. The word passed into English through Old French abonder, becoming established in English usage by the late Middle Ages. It shares this watery Latin root with 'abundant', 'abundance', and 'redundant', all of which preserve the image of something surging beyond its bounds.
Related word forms
How abound is actually used
Formal to neutral register, common in journalism, academic writing, and literary prose. Note the important distinction between 'abound in' (the subject is the place where things are plentiful: 'Trout abound in this river') and 'abound with' (the subject is the container being full: 'This river abounds with trout'). Both patterns are well established, but mixing them up is a common stylistic slip. The word carries a positive connotation of richness and fertility.
Easily confused with abound
'A bound' refers to a limit, leap, or boundary (as a noun or verb), whereas 'abound' means to exist in great quantity.
'Around' indicates position or enclosure (near, surrounding), while 'abound' describes being plentiful.