raise 1 of 2

verb

ˈrāz How to pronounce raise (audio)
Definition of raisenext
1
as in to lift
to move from a lower to a higher place or position he asked members of the audience to raise their hands if they had been to his show before

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2
as in to foster
to bring to maturity through care and education since she was only two when her mother died, the girl was raised mainly by her aunt

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3
as in to provoke
to bring (something volatile or intense) into being a proposal to cover the library's red brick with vinyl siding raised a mighty ruckus with those favoring historical preservation

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4
as in to elicit
to draw out (something hidden, latent, or reserved) the lawsuit raised old resentments that had never been completely extinguished

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5
as in to erect
to fix in an upright position the mattress will fit into the moving truck only if we raise it on its side

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6
as in to build
to form by putting together parts or materials raised a memorial on the site of the historic event

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7
as in to grow
to look after or assist the growth of by labor and care raises ducks, geese, and other exotic fowl ultimately destined for the dinner table

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8
as in to increase
to make greater in size, amount, or number the multiplex raised the ticket price

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9
as in to promote
to move higher in rank or position he was recently raised to lieutenant in the fire department

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10
as in to introduce
to present or bring forward for discussion one member of the tour raised the subject of appropriate attire for visits to sacred sites in the Holy Land

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11
as in to express
to make known (as an idea, emotion, or opinion) too afraid to raise an objection

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raise

2 of 2

noun

as in increase
something added (as by growth) the school board approved a raise in the maximum family income for students qualifying for reduced-price lunches

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Synonym Chooser

How does the verb raise contrast with its synonyms?

Some common synonyms of raise are boost, elevate, heave, hoist, lift, and rear. While all these words mean "to move from a lower to a higher place or position," raise carries a stronger implication of bringing up to the vertical or to a high position.

scouts raising a flagpole

In what contexts can boost take the place of raise?

The synonyms boost and raise are sometimes interchangeable, but boost suggests assisting to climb or advance by a push.

boosted his brother over the fence

How does the word elevate relate to other synonyms for raise?

Elevate may replace lift or raise especially when exalting or enhancing is implied.

elevated the taste of the public

When might heave be a better fit than raise?

In some situations, the words heave and raise are roughly equivalent. However, heave implies lifting and throwing with great effort or strain.

heaved the heavy crate inside

When could hoist be used to replace raise?

The words hoist and raise can be used in similar contexts, but hoist implies lifting something heavy especially by mechanical means.

hoisted the cargo on board

When is it sensible to use lift instead of raise?

Although the words lift and raise have much in common, lift usually implies exerting effort to overcome resistance of weight.

lift the chair while I vacuum

How do rear and raise relate to one another?

Rear may add an element of suddenness to raise.

suddenly reared itself up on its hind legs

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of raise
Verb
Hadid shares her four-year-old daughter, Khai, with musician Zayn Malik; Cooper is raising his seven-year-old daughter, Lea, with supermodel Irina Shayk. —Glamour, 4 May 2025 The state suspended the grocery tax for fiscal year 2022 to help fight rising inflation, but municipal leaders say losing the stream of revenue permanently forces them to consider cutting services, raising sales or property taxes, or implementing a local grocery tax. —Molly Morrow, Chicago Tribune, 4 May 2025
Noun
Next month, 911 call takers in the Kansas City Police Department will get a pay raise. —Kendrick Calfee, Kansas City Star, 24 Apr. 2025 The raise proposal, which averages out to a 0.47% raise, doesn’t include the pay increase teachers will receive by moving up in the district’s salary schedule. —Jessica Seaman, Denver Post, 21 Apr. 2025 See All Example Sentences for raise
Recent Examples of Synonyms for raise
  1. lift
  2. foster
  3. provoke
  4. elicit
  5. erect
  6. build
  7. grow
  8. increase
Verb
  • The reigning league champion Pride were about 20 minutes away from their second consecutive loss of the season before Marta redirected the tides and Carson Pickett went beast mode to lift the team to a thrilling 3-2 victory.
    — Emily Olsen, New York Times, 29 Apr. 2025
  • Bird flu has continued to decimate the egg supply, lifting prices.
    — Max Zahn, ABC News, 29 Apr. 2025
Definition of lift
Verb
  • The initiative aims to foster climate resilience and sustainable development.
    — GrrlScientist, Forbes.com, 27 Apr. 2025
  • She was sent to a shelter in Winston-Salem, N.C., which was in desperate need of people to foster the dogs coming from Asheville.
    — Brittney Melton, NPR, 27 Apr. 2025
Definition of foster
Verb
  • Trump’s comments have provoked a strong reaction, including boycotts on U.S. goods and protests.
    — Zac Anderson, USA Today, 26 Apr. 2025
  • These tales were layered, open to interpretation, and meant to provoke reflection and herein lies their enduring power.
    — Sonya Rehman, Forbes.com, 26 Apr. 2025
Definition of provoke
Verb
  • Just the mention of the legislation was enough to elicit applause and cheers from the audience.
    — Samantha Masunaga, Los Angeles Times, 25 Apr. 2025
  • For his part, the father read this situation well by engaging with his son without overreacting to a scenario that would understandably elicit strong emotions in many parents.
    — Christian Dashiell, Parents, 24 Apr. 2025
Definition of elicit
Verb
  • Construction equipment whines as workers erect towering bleachers in a downtown park.
    — Stephanie Yang, Los Angeles Times, 27 Apr. 2025
  • The smoke that wafts from the chimney is created using chemical pellets that are burned in another stove that's connected to the stovepipe chimney, which is temporarily erected atop the Sistine Chapel just for that purpose.
    — Christopher Watson, ABC News, 25 Apr. 2025
Definition of erect
Verb
  • And when the focus shifts from guarding what’s been built to cultivating what’s possible next.
    — Francois Botha, Forbes.com, 4 May 2025
  • Policies may set the direction, but people are the bricks that build this world—only happy individuals can create a truly harmonious society.
    — Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar, Time, 3 May 2025
Definition of build
Verb
  • What’s more, over the past decade, attacks such as password spraying have grown increasingly effective at breaching sensitive networks, Microsoft’s own included.
    — ArsTechnica, ArsTechnica, 2 May 2025
  • Meanwhile, the demographic of older women is growing quickly.
    — Jean Wactawski-Wende, The Conversation, 2 May 2025
Definition of grow
Verb
  • Suicide rates increased 37% between 2000-2018 and decreased 5% between 2018-2020 before returning to their peak in 2022, according to the agency.
    — Audrey Conklin, FOXNews.com, 2 May 2025
  • The reception for each volume of Love, Death & Robots has steadily increased since volume one dropped in March 2019, with the volume three boasting a 100 percent rating on Rotten Tomatoes. Sirens, Netflix’s big budget drama release this month, drops on May 22.
    — Abid Rahman, HollywoodReporter, 2 May 2025
Definition of increase

Phrases Containing raise

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rainy day
raise
raise Cain
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Cite this Entry

“Raise.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/raise. Accessed 9 May. 2025.

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More from Merriam-Webster on raise

Nglish: Translation of raise for Spanish Speakers

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about raise

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