Definition of boostnext
1
as in to hoist
to lift with effort boosted the child into her car seat

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

2
3
4
5
6

boost

2 of 2

noun

1
2
3

Synonym Chooser

How does the verb boost contrast with its synonyms?

Some common synonyms of boost are elevate, heave, hoist, lift, raise, and rear. While all these words mean "to move from a lower to a higher place or position," 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 boost?

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

elevated the taste of the public

When would heave be a good substitute for boost?

Although the words heave and boost have much in common, heave implies lifting and throwing with great effort or strain.

heaved the heavy crate inside

When might hoist be a better fit than boost?

The meanings of hoist and boost largely overlap; however, hoist implies lifting something heavy especially by mechanical means.

hoisted the cargo on board

When could lift be used to replace boost?

The synonyms lift and boost are sometimes interchangeable, but lift usually implies exerting effort to overcome resistance of weight.

lift the chair while I vacuum

In what contexts can raise take the place of boost?

The words raise and boost can be used in similar contexts, but raise carries a stronger implication of bringing up to the vertical or to a high position.

scouts raising a flagpole

How are the words rear and raise related as synonyms of boost?

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 boost
Verb
Tuesday’s Democratic sweep shook the energy stock market, boosting clean energy company shares on the expectation of a more renewables-friendly Congress and casting a pall on oil. — Eugenia Perozo, semafor.com, 5 Nov. 2026 The newer chip has 50 percent more memory bandwidth, which significantly boosts graphics performance. — ArsTechnica, 5 Nov. 2026
Noun
The Black Parade deluxe dropped in a week without many major new releases, and one in which the likely number-one-by-default candidates were all months-old releases without any brand-new boosts to speak of. — Eric Renner Brown, Billboard, 4 Nov. 2026 On Wednesday, the Danish jewelry giant reported 6 percent organic growth in the third quarter, with like-for-like sales up 4 percent and a 2 percent boost from network expansion and other factors. — Lily Templeton, Footwear News, 4 Nov. 2026 See All Example Sentences for boost
Recent Examples of Synonyms for boost
Verb
  • But Elliott didn’t mind watching the Aggies hoist the trophy.
    — Thomas Jones, Austin American Statesman, 31 Oct. 2026
  • But while Attanasio and Contreras could not have seemed happier to stand shoulder-to-shoulder and hoist the trophy, their tolerance for each other will likely wane a month from now.
    — Justin Birnbaum, Sportico.com, 29 Oct. 2026
Verb
  • FinFETs helped manufacturers increase performance and energy efficiency across generations of smartphone, computer, and server processors.
    — Atharva Gosavi, Interesting Engineering, 7 Nov. 2026
  • Those figures increase to 14 tons and 20 tons, respectively, for the larger 9×4 variant.
    — Eric Berger, ArsTechnica, 6 Nov. 2026
Verb
  • Throughout history, some were commissioned to enhance the interiors with their signature flair while others bartered their artwork for breaks on daily rates and others simply just thrived off the scene.
    — Sofia Celeste, Footwear News, 24 Oct. 2026
  • Each picture mode offers essentially the same rich set of options, except for AI-enhanced, which locks you out of some settings (including local contrast and color tuner), presumably because the AI logic is handling those.
    — M. David Stone, PC Magazine, 24 Oct. 2026
Verb
  • The now defunct memorandum of understanding that Washington and Tehran signed in June promised to lift sanctions and funnel billions to Iran in return for Iran’s reopening the Strait of Hormuz, possibly with Iranian tollbooths.
    — S. C. M. Paine, Foreign Affairs, 3 Nov. 2026
  • Also shot here were the exterior scenes of the submersible, which was hung from the boat by a crane and lifted onto the dock.
    — Rachel Chang, Condé Nast Traveler, 3 Nov. 2026
Verb
  • Rather than campaign for Whatley, he's been promoting his new book criticizing fellow Republicans.
    — Colin Campbell, NPR, 4 Nov. 2026
  • The pastor successfully converted his personal popularity into votes by promoting unity — both among Kansans and between political parties.
    — Kacen Bayless, Kansas City Star, 4 Nov. 2026
Verb
  • Prosecutors said Sherman, from September 2015 through May 2025, stole nearly $18 million from her employer to pay off her extravagant credit card expenses.
    — Rosalio Ahumada, Sacbee.com, 3 Nov. 2026
  • The denial comes as blockchain analytics firms trace billions of dollars in cryptocurrency stolen from Binance through thousands of wallets across multiple blockchains.
    — Jenny Lee, CNBC, 3 Nov. 2026
Noun
  • The program aims to strengthen the military’s ability to gather information and support operations from orbit.
    — Aamir Khollam, Interesting Engineering, 7 Nov. 2026
  • And although Senate Democrats are in the majority, Senate Republicans can still use the filibuster to block almost every bill that lacks bipartisan support.
    — Thomas Kahn, Chicago Tribune, 6 Nov. 2026
Noun
  • Chinese automakers’ gains in Britain show how quickly consumers will consider a new competitor when the product delivers.
    — Rick Lazio, Fortune, 24 Oct. 2026
  • Existing bank account takeover A criminal gains access to your existing checking account, savings account, retirement account or payment app.
    — Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 24 Oct. 2026

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Boost.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/boost. Accessed 8 Nov. 2026.

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!