Merriam-Webster Logo
SINCE 1828
Menu
dictionary thesaurus

Thesaurus

growth

noun

Synonyms and Antonyms of growth

1 an abnormal mass of tissue

  • found a growth on the dog's neck under her collar
Synonyms of growth

excrescence, excrescency, lump, neoplasm, tumor
Words Related to growth

outgrowth

cancer, carcinoma, lymphoma, malignancy, melanoma, polyp

cyst, tubercle, wart

2 the act or process of going from the simple or basic to the complex or advanced

  • the growth of the gambling industry into an economic mainstay in some locations
Synonyms of growth

development, elaboration, evolution, expansion, progress, progression
Words Related to growth

advancement, betterment, improvement, perfection, refinement

incubation, maturation, maturing, ripening

blossoming, flourishing, flowering

addition, augmentation, enhancement, supplementation

emergence, evolvement, metamorphosis
Near Antonyms of growth

backslide, lapse, relapse

decadence, decay, decaying, declension, declination, decline, degeneracy, degeneration, degradation, descent, deterioration, devaluation, downfall, downgrade, ebbing, falling, weakening
Antonyms of growth

regress, regression, retrogression, reversion

3 the process of becoming mature

  • her reflections and mature behavior certainly demonstrate just how much emotional growth took place last summer
Synonyms of growth

development, maturation, maturing, ripening
Words Related to growth

blossoming, flourishing, flowering

mellowing, softening

evolution, evolvement, expansion, progression

coming-of-age, maturity
Near Antonyms of growth

decadence, decay, decaying, declension, decline, declining, degeneration, descent, deterioration

ebbing, fading, shriveling (or shrivelling), waning, wilting, withering

death, decease, demise, dying, end, exit, expiration, expiring, expiry, perishing

regression, retrogression, reversion

Learn More about growth

  1. See words that rhyme with growth Dictionary: Definition of growth Medical Dictionary: Definition of growth Spanish Central: Translation of growth Nglish: Translation of growth for Spanish speakers Britannica English: Translation of growth for Arabic speakers Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about growth

Seen and Heard

What made you want to look up growth? Please tell us where you read or heard it (including the quote, if possible).

show comments hide comments

Love words? Need even more definitions?

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

Love words? Need even more definitions?

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

Words at Play

Ask the Editors

Word Games