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Showing results for increase. Search instead for to increase.
Definitions

increase

[in-krees, in-krees] / ɪnˈkris, ˈɪn kris /
NOUN
addition, growth
Synonyms
STRONGEST
boost development escalation expansion gain hike increment inflation merger raise rise surge upsurge upturn
STRONG
access accession accretion accrual accumulation aggrandizement augmentation breakthrough burgeoning cumulation elaboration enlargement exaggeration extension incorporation intensification markup maximization multiplication optimization spread step-up swell swelling upgrade waxing
Antonyms
STRONGEST
decline decrease drop loss shrinkage
STRONG
abridgment compression reduction
WEAK
depletion diminishment subtraction
VERB
add or grow
Synonyms
STRONGEST
advance boost broaden build build up deepen develop double enhance enlarge escalate expand extend further heighten intensify multiply raise reinforce rise step up strengthen swell triple widen
STRONG
aggrandize aggravate amplify annex augment dilate distend exaggerate inflate lengthen magnify mount pad progress proliferate prolong protract pullulate redouble sharpen snowball spread supplement swarm teem thicken wax
WEAK
mark up slap on tack on
Antonyms
STRONGEST
abridge cease compress condense contract curtail decelerate decrease demolish destroy diminish discourage divide drop halt hinder hurt lessen lower narrow prevent raze recede reduce repress restrict shorten shrink slow stop take back undermine weaken
STRONG
abbreviate decline deflate degrade fall play down retreat
WEAK
deplete lose subtract

Usage

What are other ways to say increase? To increase means to make greater, as in quantity, extent, or degree: to increase someone's salary; to increase the velocity; to increase the (degree of) concentration. Enlarge means to make greater in size, extent, or range: to enlarge a building, a business, one's conceptions. Augment, a more formal word, means to make greater, especially by addition from the outside: to augment one's income (by doing extra work).

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

For example, traditional IRAs have minimum payouts called RMDs that begin at age 73 and increase annually.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 3, 2026

Economists forecast a 2.8% year-over-year increase, matching January’s data.

From Barron's • Apr. 3, 2026

US President Donald Trump has long signalled a desire to increase the defence budget and boost domestic defence manufacturing.

From BBC • Apr. 3, 2026

The increase in hourly pay in the 12 months from March 2025 through March 2026 slowed to 3.5% — also a five-year low.

From MarketWatch • Apr. 3, 2026

She was tired, not just from being pregnant and from the lockdown but from the unpleasant phone call she’d just had with corporate about ways to increase efficiency, which really meant ways to save money.

From "Not Nothing" by Gayle Forman

From Roget's 21st Century Thesaurus, Third Edition Copyright © 2013 by the Philip Lief Group.