The population has 'mushroomed' [='shot up'] over the past 10 years. = The town has 'mushroomed' in population over the past 10 years.
Interest in local history is suddenly 'mushrooming'.
Her hobby 'mushroomed' into a thriving business.
(..) Without asking for too many details, do you have anyone in with Costello now? Maybe. Maybe not. Maybe fuck yourself. My theory on Feds is they're like mushrooms. Feed them shit and keep them in the dark. You girls have a good day. Normally he's a very nice guy. (..)2006 The Departed
(..) and the destruction that it causes. Take, for instance, what you carry, mm hollow-point. When the hollow-point hits the skull, what happens is it mushrooms. When it mushrooms it peels back. So you may have six, eight... ...ten little particles of the bullet that are like razor blades... (..)2006 The Departed