exponentially

Etymology

From exponential + -ly.

adv

1. (mathematics, sciences) In an exponential manner.
   But every known algorithm for this problem requires a number of steps that increases exponentially as n increases. 1992, Clark Glymour, Thinking Things Through: An Introduction to Philosophical Issues and Achievements, MIT Press, published 1997, page 333
   Therefore, if absorption causes an attenuation of the oscillation amplitude, the temperature must decrease exponentially with increasing thickness. 2000, Shuji Nakamura et al., The Blue Laser Diode: The Complete Story, Second Revised and Enlarged Edition, Springer, page 69
   It can be readily derived from Eqs. 6.26 and 6.32 that the field generated by these incident evanescent waves inside the slab do not decay away exponentially from the upper interface, but increases exponentially as y decreases. 2008, Henri Benisty et al., Photonic Crystals: Towards Nanoscale Photonic Devices, Second Edition, Springer, page 216
2. (proscribed) rapidly, greatly
   The more serious a Christian is about God's kingdom, the more exponentially complicating that venture is […] 2007, Michael Glenn Maness, Would You Lie to Save a Life: Love Will Find a Way Home, page 357
   He'd felt like Kathryn's soul was in her eyes as she'd regarded him for those precious few seconds... and her spirit was even more exponentially beautiful than […] 2008, Beth Kery, Take a Stranger No More, page 27