Translation guide
Describes something negative spreading widely and uncontrollably, such as disease, crime, rumors, or weeds.
Express that something bad is happening a lot and is hard to control.
Used for negative things like crime, fraud, or bad behavior that are widespread. Often seen in news reports.
Fraud is rampant in this area.
Common for diseases, but also used for undesirable things spreading like an epidemic.
Infectious diseases are rampant.
Rumors are rampant on social media.
Often used for weeds, pests, or negative influences that spread and take over. Slightly more vivid and colloquial than 蔓延.
Weeds are rampant in the garden.
Literary and formal, used for evil or disease raging fiercely. Rare in everyday speech.
A plague is rampant.
Describe vegetation spreading aggressively and taking over an area.
Talk about gossip, beliefs, or emotions that are everywhere.
Neutral way to say something is spreading, not necessarily negative. Works for rumors, ideas, or trends.
Strange rumors are rampant.
Emphasizes the negative, epidemic-like spread of rumors or bad ideas.
Misinformation is rampant.
Used for rumors, gossip, or words flying around actively. More vivid.
Insults are rampant (flying around).
横行 is for human actions like crime or fraud. 蔓延 is for diseases or abstract things spreading like an epidemic. はびこる is for weeds, pests, or negative influences taking over physically or metaphorically.
The katakana word ランパント is not commonly used in Japanese. Use the native expressions above instead.