proliferate

This term conveys a sense of explosive, often uncontrolled growth. While it can describe positive expansion, such as the rise of new technologies, it frequently carries a negative or cautionary undertone when applied to things like weapons, misinformation, or malignant cells. In biological contexts, the word specifically refers to the process of cellular reproduction. Unlike general growth, which might imply an increase in size, this word emphasizes an increase in the total number of individual units.