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

• lift
• elevate
• hoist
• uplift

Noun

• increase
• gain
• boost
• rise

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

Recent Examples on the Web

Verb

Eight steel lifting straps were used to put the hull upright and to form part of a steel wire lifting system that began raising the vessel out of the water Saturday. —Arkansas Online, 22 June 2025

Another raises the question of subsidence, which relates to the caving in or sinking of land. —Jeff McDonald, San Diego Union-Tribune, 22 June 2025

Noun

The district has offered a 2% raise to one of its largest unions, which union leaders say is not nearly enough. —Howard Blume, Los Angeles Times, 23 June 2025

The Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders are getting a 400% pay raise after years of dissatisfaction that led the cheerleaders to begin negotiations. —Emma Hinchliffe, Fortune, 20 June 2025

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

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

Rhymes for raise

• baize
• bays
• blase
• blaze
• braes
• braze
• chaise
• claes
• clays
• craze
• dais
• days

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