growth

1 an abnormal mass of tissue found a growth on the dog's neck under her collar Synonyms excrescence, excrescency, lump, neoplasm, tumor Related Words 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 elaboration, evolution, expansion, development, progress, progressionRelated Words advancement, betterment, improvement, perfection, refinement; incubation, maturation, maturing, ripening; blossoming, flourishing, flowering; addition, augmentation, enhancement, supplementation; emergence, evolvement, metamorphosisNear Antonyms backslide, lapse, relapse; decadence, decay, decaying, declension, declination, decline, degeneracy, degeneration, degradation, descent, deterioration, devaluation, downfall, downgrade, ebbing, falling, weakeningAntonyms 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 development, maturation, maturing, ripeningRelated Words blossoming, flourishing, flowering; mellowing, softening; evolution, evolvement, expansion, progression; coming-of-age, maturityNear Antonyms 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