raise

1 of 2

verb

ˈrāz 

raised; raising

transitive verb

1

: to cause or help to rise to a standing position

2

a

: awaken, arouse

b

: to stir up : incite

raise a rebellion

c

: to flush (game) from cover

d

: to recall from or as if from death

3

a

: to set upright by lifting or building

raise a monument

b

: to lift up

raise your hand

raise sunken treasure

c

: to place higher in rank or dignity : elevate

d

: heighten, invigorate

raise the spirits

e

: to end or suspend the operation or validity of

raise a siege

4

: to get together for a purpose : collect

raise funds

5

a

: grow, cultivate

raise cotton

b

: to bring to maturity : rear

raise a child

c

: to breed and bring (an animal) to maturity

6

a

: to give rise to : provoke

raise a commotion

b

: to give voice to

raise a cheer

7

: to bring up for consideration or debate

raise an issue

8

a

: to increase the strength, intensity, or pitch of

don't raise your voice

b

: to increase the degree of

c

: to cause to rise in level or amount

raise the rent

d(1)

: to increase the amount of (a poker bet)

(2)

: to bet more than (a previous bettor)

e(1)

: to make a higher bridge bid in (a partner's suit)

(2)

: to increase the bid of (one's partner)

9

: to make light and porous

raise dough

10

: to cause to ascend

raise the dust

11

: to multiply (a quantity) by itself a specified number of times

raise two to the fourth power

12

: to bring in sight on the horizon by approaching

raise land

13

a

: to bring up the nap of (cloth)

b

: to cause (something, such as a blister) to form on the skin

14

: to increase the nominal value of fraudulently

raise a check

15

: to articulate (a sound) with the tongue in a higher position

16

: to establish radio communication with

intransitive verb

1

dialect : rise

2

: to increase a bet or bid

raiser noun

raise

2 of 2

noun

1

: an act of raising or lifting

2

: a rising stretch of road : an upward grade : rise

3

: an increase in amount: such as

a

: an increase of a bet or bid

b

: an increase in wages or salary

4

: a vertical or inclined opening or passageway connecting one mine working area with another at a higher level

Phrases

raise Cain or raise hell

1

: to act wildly : create a disturbance

2

: to scold or upbraid someone especially loudly

raised hell with the umpire

raise eyebrows

: to cause surprise or mild disapproval

raise the bar

: to set a higher standard

new software that raises the bar for competitors

Synonyms

Verb

• boost
• crane
• elevate
• heave
• heft
• heighten
• hike
• hoist
• jack (up)
• lift
• perk (up)
• pick up
• take up
• up
• uphold
• uplift
• upraise

Noun

• accretion
• accrual
• addendum
• addition
• augmentation
• boost
• expansion
• gain
• increase
• increment
• more
• plus
• proliferation
• rise
• step-up
• supplement
• uptick

Choose the Right Synonym for raise

lift, raise, rear, elevate, hoist, heave, boost mean to move from a lower to a higher place or position.

lift usually implies exerting effort to overcome resistance of weight.

lift the chair while I vacuum

raise carries a stronger implication of bringing up to the vertical or to a high position.

scouts raising a flagpole

rear may add an element of suddenness to raise.

suddenly reared itself up on its hind legs

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

elevated the taste of the public

hoist implies lifting something heavy especially by mechanical means.

hoisted the cargo on board

heave implies lifting and throwing with great effort or strain.

heaved the heavy crate inside

boost suggests assisting to climb or advance by a push.

boosted his brother over the fence

Examples of raise in a Sentence

Verb

Raise your hand if you know the answer.

Raise your arms above your head.

He raised his head and looked around.

She raised her eyes from her book and stared at him.

He raised the cup to his lips and drank.

I raised the lid and peeked inside.

Let's raise the windows and get some fresh air in here.

We raised the flag to the top of the pole.

I carefully raised her to a sitting position.

She raised herself onto her knees.

Noun

the school board approved a raise in the maximum family income for students qualifying for reduced-price lunches

See More

Recent Examples on the Web

Verb

Join Meghan and Amy Joyce, the On Parenting editor, every other Wednesday at 11 a.m. ET, for a live chat to answer questions from parents trying to raise kids of any age. —Amy Joyce, Washington Post, 27 Sep. 2023

But just raising the potential of a deal shows how media companies that are struggling to adapt to changes in technology and consumer behavior are forced to ponder moves once considered inconceivable. —Stephen Battaglio, Los Angeles Times, 21 Sep. 2023

The issues raised by the report highlight the difficulties policymakers face in governing AI, a source of both huge potential commercial value and many risks. —Will Henshall, Time, 21 Sep. 2023

The Fed’s dot plots were raised for 2024 and 2025, while continuing to indicate another rate increase this year, says Michael Wan, senior currency analyst at MUFG Bank, in a research report. —WSJ, 21 Sep. 2023

But my biggest dream, more than collecting platinum albums and Grammys, was to raise my sons with their father. —Leila Cobo, Billboard, 21 Sep. 2023

In May, ahead of the expiration of the Covid-era Title 42 restriction, US Customs and Border Protection encountered more than 8,000 people daily and had around 25,000 migrants in custody, raising alarm within the Biden administration. —Priscilla Alvarez, CNN, 21 Sep. 2023

Headline of the day DeSantis' anti-Covid comments give him ‘momentum’ on the campaign trail Sept. 13, 202304:13 Ron DeSantis' descent continues, unabated by the debate and time on the trail At the same time, the Florida governor is racing to raise money in Texas and California. —Mark Murray, NBC News, 21 Sep. 2023

The TikTok star often shares glimpses of how her parents — dad Thomas Earle, mom Alisa Earle and stepmom Ashley Dupré — work together to raise her and her younger siblings. —Rebecca Aizin, Peoplemag, 21 Sep. 2023

Noun

The news follows months of reporting that White was angling for her first pay raise in almost 20 years. —Meghan Overdeep, Southern Living, 20 Sep. 2023

Over the same period, CEO pay at the Big Three Detroit automakers — GM, Ford and Chrysler parent Stellantis — has jumped an average of 40%, or roughly how much of a raise striking workers are now demanding. —Allison Morrow, CNN, 18 Sep. 2023

The Big Three are offering about a 20 percent raise. —CBS News, 17 Sep. 2023

On Saturday, Stellantis detailed its latest offer for cumulative raises of nearly 21% in hourly wages, roughly in line with proposals from Ford and GM. —David Koenig, Fortune, 16 Sep. 2023

Starting in 2007, workers gave up cost-of-living raises and defined benefit pensions for new hires. —Tom Krisher, ajc, 16 Sep. 2023

The United Auto Workers, or UAW, has demanded a 46% raise for workers over the next four years. —Max Zahn, ABC News, 16 Sep. 2023

Stellantis said its most-recent proposal to United Auto Workers includes raises of nearly 21% over the course of the contract and an immediate 10% pay increase, CNBC reports. —NBC News, 16 Sep. 2023

The two sides have been bargaining for more than seven months without measurable agreement on key issues, including cost of living raises, class sizes, teacher planning time and how to handle students whose behavior repeatedly disrupts classrooms. —oregonlive, 15 Sep. 2023

See More

Word History

Etymology

Verb

Middle English reisen, raisen, from Old Norse reisa — more at rear

First Known Use

Verb

13th century, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1

Noun

1538, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing raise

• put/stick/raise one's head above the parapet
• raise a stink
• raise a family
• fund-raise
• raise a fuss
• raise Cain
• raise/lower the temperature
• raise a ruckus
• raise the roof
• raise one's voice
• raise the bar
• re-raise
• raise the white flag
• rear/raise its ugly head
• raise the ante
• raise/sound the alarm
• raise some hackles
• raise the possibility
• raise hell
• raise eyebrows

See More

• put/stick/raise one's head above the parapet
• raise a stink
• raise a family
• fund-raise
• raise a fuss
• raise Cain
• raise/lower the temperature
• raise a ruckus
• raise the roof
• raise one's voice
• raise the bar
• re-raise
• raise the white flag
• rear/raise its ugly head
• raise the ante
• raise/sound the alarm
• raise some hackles
• raise the possibility
• raise hell
• raise eyebrows

See More

Kids Definition

raise

1 of 2 verb

ˈrāz 

raised; raising

1

: to cause to rise

raise a window

raise dust

2

a

: awake entry 1, arouse

enough noise to raise the dead

b

: to recall from or as if from death

c

: to stir up : incite

raise a rebellion

3

a

: to set upright by lifting or building

raise a monument

b

: to lift up

raise your hand

c

: to place higher especially in rank : promote

was raised to captain

d

: heighten sense 1, invigorate

raise the spirits

4

: collect entry 2 sense 1b

raise funds

5

a

: to look after the growth and development of : grow

raise hogs

raise corn

b

: bring up sense 1, rear sense 3b

raise a child

was raised in the city

6

: bring about

raised a laugh

7

: to bring to notice

raise an issue

8

a

: to increase the strength of

don't raise your voice

b

: to increase the amount of

raise the rent

c

: to increase a bid or bet

9

: to make light and airy

raise dough

10

: to multiply a quantity by itself a specified number of times

raise two to the fourth power

11

: to bring into sight on the horizon by approaching

raised land at last

12

: to cause to form on the skin

raise a blister

raiser noun

raise

2 of 2 noun

1

: an increase in the amount of a bet or bid

2

: an increase in pay