Snowballed: meaning, definitions and examples
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snowballed
[ ˈsnōˌbôld ]
increase rapidly
To snowball means to grow or increase at an accelerating rate, often used metaphorically to describe situations that become increasingly complicated or intense. This term typically suggests that once a small change or action occurs, it can lead to much larger consequences, similar to a snowball gaining mass as it rolls down a hill.
Synonyms
accelerate, compound, escalate.
Examples of usage
- The problem snowballed after we ignored the initial warning signs.
- Her small investment snowballed into a fortune over the years.
- The rumor snowballed, leading to widespread panic.
Translations
Translations of the word "snowballed" in other languages:
🇵🇹 acumulado
🇮🇳 बढ़ता हुआ
🇩🇪 angestiegen
🇮🇩 meningkat
🇺🇦 зростаючий
🇵🇱 rosnący
🇯🇵 増加した
🇫🇷 augmenté
🇪🇸 aumentado
🇹🇷 artmış
🇰🇷 증가한
🇸🇦 متزايد
🇨🇿 zvětšující se
🇸🇰 zvyšujúci sa
🇨🇳 增加的
🇸🇮 naraščajoč
🇮🇸 vaxandi
🇰🇿 артатын
🇬🇪 ზრდადი
🇦🇿 artan
🇲🇽 aumentado
Etymology
The term 'snowball' has its origins in the literal act of rolling a small ball of snow, which gradually increases in size as it gathers more snow, thereby becoming larger and heavier. The figurative use of 'snowball' as a verb developed in the early 20th century, reflecting the idea of something starting small and accumulating momentum and size over time. This concept has been applied across various contexts, including finance, social issues, and personal experiences, to illustrate how minor beginnings can lead to significant developments. Over the years, the term has become a popular way to describe processes that spiral uncontrollably or grow exponentially, often with a negative connotation implying that a situation has become unmanageable.