increased; increasing
1
: to become progressively greater (as in size, amount, number, or intensity)
2
: to multiply by the production of young
increaser
noun
1
: the act or process of increasing: such as
a
: addition or enlargement in size, extent, or quantity
b
obsolete
: propagation
2
: something that is added to an original stock or amount by augmentation or growth (such as offspring, produce, profit)
Synonyms
Examples of increase in a Sentence
Verb
The house increased in value.
She increased her wealth substantially.
Noun
an increase in life expectancy
The employees expect some increase in wages.
The construction will probably cause some increase in traffic delays.
The report showed increases of between 20 and 30 percent.
an increase of three dollars
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Recent Examples on the Web
Michelle Singletary, Washington Post, 20 Sep. 2023
It is meant to increase the nutrition of low-income residents by supplementing their food costs.
—Brady Knox, Washington Examiner, 20 Sep. 2023
Initially, consultant firm Black & Veatch proposed increasing West Fork's sewer rates by 20% and Elkins' rates by 18%.
—Stacy Ryburn, Arkansas Online, 20 Sep. 2023
The aim of the summit is to increase ambitions on climate action, Guterres said.
—Rachel Ramirez, CNN, 20 Sep. 2023
It wouldn’t have been gone at 14 MLB stadiums, including Camden Yards, which altered its dimensions last season by moving the left field wall back almost 30 feet and increasing its height by 5 feet.
—Jacob Calvin Meyer, Baltimore Sun, 20 Sep. 2023
However, distracted by its continuing invasion of Ukraine, Moscow has been unable to keep the tensions under control as an emboldened Azerbaijan increased its foothold by putting the only road that links it with Armenia under its firm control.
—Ivan Nechepurenko, New York Times, 20 Sep. 2023
Climate Week is a vestige of an earlier era, when climate was one of many issues competing for our attention and doing anything to increase public consciousness felt like important work.
—Liza Featherstone, The New Republic, 20 Sep. 2023
Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona and Secretary of Agriculture Thomas Vilsack sent joint letters to the governors of the states asking them to increase funding for these HBCUs.
—Melissa Noel, Essence, 20 Sep. 2023
Hanna Ziady, CNN, 21 Sep. 2023
Economists had expected a 0.25 percentage point increase.
—Anna Hirtenstein, WSJ, 21 Sep. 2023
That represents a 60% increase from the daily average of 4,300 in July.
—Camilo Montoya-Galvez, CBS News, 21 Sep. 2023
Chula Vista had the second-largest number of people living on the streets at 318, a 54 percent increase from 2022, according to a January countywide count.
—Tammy Murga, San Diego Union-Tribune, 20 Sep. 2023
Fain provoked this month’s historic UAW strike against automakers with his opening demand of 40 percent wage increases.
—Amity Shlaes, National Review, 20 Sep. 2023
The risk of uterine rupture increases with each C-section performed; most doctors will perform VBACs on people who had up to two prior C-sections.6
Had a low-transverse incision—a horizontal cut low in the uterus—during their previous C-section.
—Lisa Milbrand, Parents, 20 Sep. 2023
More than 5,100 travelers passed through Changi Airport in August, marking a significant increase from 2022 when just about 3,300 passengers traveled there during the same time period, according to the airport’s data.
—Alison Fox, Travel + Leisure, 20 Sep. 2023
Between 2016 and 2022, congenital syphilis cases rose from 10 to 110, marking a 1,000% increase, according to a report from the John D. Bower School of Population Health at University of Mississippi Medical Center.
—Mary Kekatos, ABC News, 20 Sep. 2023
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Verb
By waiting to receive retirement benefits until after your full retirement age, your monthly benefit continues to increase.
—Michelle Singletary, Washington Post, 20 Sep. 2023
It is meant to increase the nutrition of low-income residents by supplementing their food costs.
—Brady Knox, Washington Examiner, 20 Sep. 2023
Initially, consultant firm Black & Veatch proposed increasing West Fork's sewer rates by 20% and Elkins' rates by 18%.
—Stacy Ryburn, Arkansas Online, 20 Sep. 2023
The aim of the summit is to increase ambitions on climate action, Guterres said.
—Rachel Ramirez, CNN, 20 Sep. 2023
It wouldn’t have been gone at 14 MLB stadiums, including Camden Yards, which altered its dimensions last season by moving the left field wall back almost 30 feet and increasing its height by 5 feet.
—Jacob Calvin Meyer, Baltimore Sun, 20 Sep. 2023
However, distracted by its continuing invasion of Ukraine, Moscow has been unable to keep the tensions under control as an emboldened Azerbaijan increased its foothold by putting the only road that links it with Armenia under its firm control.
—Ivan Nechepurenko, New York Times, 20 Sep. 2023
Climate Week is a vestige of an earlier era, when climate was one of many issues competing for our attention and doing anything to increase public consciousness felt like important work.
—Liza Featherstone, The New Republic, 20 Sep. 2023
Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona and Secretary of Agriculture Thomas Vilsack sent joint letters to the governors of the states asking them to increase funding for these HBCUs.
—Melissa Noel, Essence, 20 Sep. 2023
Noun
The decision keeps the main borrowing cost for commercial banks in the United Kingdom at 5.25% — still the highest level since February 2008 following the longest-running series of successive increases in benchmark interest rates in at least a century.
—Hanna Ziady, CNN, 21 Sep. 2023
Economists had expected a 0.25 percentage point increase.
—Anna Hirtenstein, WSJ, 21 Sep. 2023
That represents a 60% increase from the daily average of 4,300 in July.
—Camilo Montoya-Galvez, CBS News, 21 Sep. 2023
Chula Vista had the second-largest number of people living on the streets at 318, a 54 percent increase from 2022, according to a January countywide count.
—Tammy Murga, San Diego Union-Tribune, 20 Sep. 2023
Fain provoked this month’s historic UAW strike against automakers with his opening demand of 40 percent wage increases.
—Amity Shlaes, National Review, 20 Sep. 2023
The risk of uterine rupture increases with each C-section performed; most doctors will perform VBACs on people who had up to two prior C-sections.6
Had a low-transverse incision—a horizontal cut low in the uterus—during their previous C-section.
—Lisa Milbrand, Parents, 20 Sep. 2023
More than 5,100 travelers passed through Changi Airport in August, marking a significant increase from 2022 when just about 3,300 passengers traveled there during the same time period, according to the airport’s data.
—Alison Fox, Travel + Leisure, 20 Sep. 2023
Between 2016 and 2022, congenital syphilis cases rose from 10 to 110, marking a 1,000% increase, according to a report from the John D. Bower School of Population Health at University of Mississippi Medical Center.
—Mary Kekatos, ABC News, 20 Sep. 2023
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These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'increase.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Word History
Etymology
Verb
Middle English encresen, from Anglo-French encreistre, from Latin increscere, from in- + crescere to grow — more at crescent
First Known Use
Verb
14th century, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense 1
Noun
14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1
Time Traveler
The first known use of increase was
in the 14th century
Phrases Containing increase
Dictionary Entries Near increase
Cite this Entry
“Increase.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/increase. Accessed 4 Oct. 2023.
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Nglish: Translation of increase for Spanish Speakers
Britannica English: Translation of increase for Arabic Speakers
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