increase 1 of 2

increase

2 of 2

noun

Synonym Chooser

How does the verb increase contrast with its synonyms?

Some common synonyms of increase are augment, enlarge, and multiply. While all these words mean "to make or become greater," increase used intransitively implies progressive growth in size, amount, or intensity; used transitively it may imply simple not necessarily progressive addition.

his waistline increased with age
increased her landholdings

When would augment be a good substitute for increase?

The words augment and increase are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, augment implies addition to what is already well grown or well developed.

the inheritance augmented his fortune

In what contexts can enlarge take the place of increase?

While in some cases nearly identical to increase, enlarge implies expansion or extension that makes greater in size or capacity.

enlarged the kitchen

Where would multiply be a reasonable alternative to increase?

The words multiply and increase can be used in similar contexts, but multiply implies increase in number by natural generation or by indefinite repetition of a process.

with each attempt the problems multiplied

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 increase
Verb
That value increases significantly with better management execution and efficiency, which should get those businesses to the 7-times multiple Dell trades at. Kenneth Squire, CNBC, 19 Apr. 2025 Opt-in to an odds boost for every game throughout the NBA playoffs to increase your potential winnings. Nicholas Creel, MSNBC Newsweek, 19 Apr. 2025
Noun
Amid a challenging fiscal climate, Baltimore County employees could see a salary increase during fiscal year 2026, according to a $4.6 billion budget proposal outlined by Klausmeier this month. Shaela Foster, Baltimore Sun, 21 Apr. 2025 Here is what to know about minimum wage increases going into effect across the country in 2025. Kinsey Crowley, USA Today, 21 Apr. 2025 See All Example Sentences for increase
Recent Examples of Synonyms for increase
Verb
  • In November 2024, the renowned pastor suffered a massive heart attack while delivering a sermon on stage at the church, which was a frightening moment that, according to church insiders, accelerated long-standing plans for succession.
    Kimberly Wilson, Essence, 27 Apr. 2025
  • This topic has been brewing for a while, and was accelerated by the injury conversation.
    Colton Pouncy, New York Times, 27 Apr. 2025
Verb
  • Single-family housing starts rose 11.4 percent in February, the highest rate in a year, but are primarily happening in just one part of the country.
    Sylvan Lane, The Hill, 17 Apr. 2025
  • The country’s Kospi stock index rose 0.56% after the announcement, while the won weakened 0.58% to trade at 1,422 against the dollar.
    Lim Hui Jie, CNBC, 17 Apr. 2025
Noun
  • The fabric is known to be smoothing and super flattering, so expect this pair to deliver an extra boost of confidence.
    Genevieve Cepeda, Travel + Leisure, 20 Apr. 2025
  • That will be enough to qualify for these profit boosts.
    Nicholas Creel, MSNBC Newsweek, 19 Apr. 2025
Noun
  • The wholesale market got a yellow placard after county inspectors spotted old food accumulation on the ceiling panel above the meat cutter.
    Camila Pedrosa, Sacbee.com, 18 Apr. 2025
  • Polk’s Perpetual Purpose Model (PPM) shifts the wealth conversation from accumulation to stewardship.
    Forbes Press Releases, Forbes.com, 15 Apr. 2025
Verb
  • For 2024, the list was expanded to 450 companies and looked at their emissions between 2020 and 2022.
    Elizabeth Weise, USA Today, 22 Apr. 2025
  • Believed to have originated in 15th-century Italy as a card game used by nobility, the original deck was expanded and popularized by 18th-century French occultists; and again later in the 20th century, when modern tarot was born thanks to the Rider-Waite-Smith deck, published in 1909.
    Michaela Trimble, Vogue, 21 Apr. 2025
Verb
  • One patient had brain swelling and developed a cyst caused by radiation.
    Frieda Klotz, Smithsonian Magazine, 25 Apr. 2025
  • Almost 4 in 10 Americans said neither party is fighting for people like them, as pessimism for both major parties swells, according to a survey released Friday.
    Filip Timotija, The Hill, 25 Apr. 2025
Noun
  • President Trump later noted the stock market's gains but declined to echo Bessent's view that the current economic standoff with China couldn't continue as is.
    Amanda Castro, MSNBC Newsweek, 23 Apr. 2025
  • Revenue was likely flat from a year ago at $21.35 billion, supported by gains in regulatory credits and growth in Tesla’s energy storage business.
    Akash Sriram, USA Today, 23 Apr. 2025
Verb
  • The most successful implementations use technology to augment human capabilities, providing tools that help people work more efficiently rather than avoiding challenges altogether.
    AJ Bubb, Forbes.com, 17 Apr. 2025
  • Brynjolfsson, in his Daedalus article, suggested changing the tax system to give businesses more incentive to invest in technology that augments labor rather than replaces it.
    John Cassidy, New Yorker, 14 Apr. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Increase.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/increase. Accessed 1 May. 2025.

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