Definition of raisenext
1
as in to lift
to move from a lower to a higher place or position he asked members of the audience to raise their hands if they had been to his show before

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

2
3
4
5
6
7
as in to grow
to look after or assist the growth of by labor and care raises ducks, geese, and other exotic fowl ultimately destined for the dinner table

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

8
9
10
as in to introduce
to present or bring forward for discussion one member of the tour raised the subject of appropriate attire for visits to sacred sites in the Holy Land

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

11

raise

2 of 2

noun

Synonym Chooser

How does the verb raise contrast with its synonyms?

Some common synonyms of raise are boost, elevate, heave, hoist, lift, and rear. While all these words mean "to move from a lower to a higher place or position," raise carries a stronger implication of bringing up to the vertical or to a high position.

scouts raising a flagpole

In what contexts can boost take the place of raise?

The synonyms boost and raise are sometimes interchangeable, but 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 raise?

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

elevated the taste of the public

When might heave be a better fit than raise?

In some situations, the words heave and raise are roughly equivalent. However, heave implies lifting and throwing with great effort or strain.

heaved the heavy crate inside

When could hoist be used to replace raise?

The words hoist and raise can be used in similar contexts, but hoist implies lifting something heavy especially by mechanical means.

hoisted the cargo on board

When is it sensible to use lift instead of raise?

Although the words lift and raise have much in common, lift usually implies exerting effort to overcome resistance of weight.

lift the chair while I vacuum

How do rear and raise relate to one another?

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 raise
Verb
Rodrigo launched her inaugural women led music festival, Daisy Chain Fields, this past August and raised $20 million for 10 non-profit organizations dedicated to advancing and advocating for women and girls. — Jem Aswad, Variety, 2 Nov. 2026 Chase has previously explained that Amy had long envisioned eventually returning to the area where she was born and raised. — Ashley Hume , Larry Fink, FOXNews.com, 2 Nov. 2026
Noun
Legal fees, settlements and licensing raise costs, while injunctions or data restrictions can constrain revenue. — Tomas Milar, Forbes.com, 5 Nov. 2026 About a dozen pay-raise charter amendments have failed since the 1960s. — Douglas Hanks, Miami Herald, 4 Nov. 2026 See All Example Sentences for raise
Recent Examples of Synonyms for raise
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
  • What the jobs report shows will provide insights into how many more Federal Reserve interest rate hikes to expect, as Chairman Kevin Warsh balances the central bank's dual mandate of maximizing employment and fostering price stability.
    — Matthew J. Belvedere, CNBC, 5 Nov. 2026
  • Whether or not students walk away wanting to pursue a career in STEM, this incredible immersion in astronomy can help to foster a lifelong appreciation for science and nature.
    — Chelsea Gohd, Space.com, 4 Nov. 2026
Verb
  • Not to be all nostalgic, but there is a long history of the Steppenwolf audience showing up precisely to be provoked, made to think, or satirized themselves.
    — Chris Jones, Chicago Tribune, 2 Nov. 2026
  • But can his way of working still provoke a new way of seeing?
    — Michael Brenson, Vogue, 1 Nov. 2026
Verb
  • For too long, the daily cruelty and the coarseness of political rhetoric have elicited only shrugs, or more often, laughter.
    — Chicago Tribune, Chicago Tribune, 6 Nov. 2026
  • The ornate Spanish Colonial edifice has elicited curiosity from those unfamiliar with its significance.
    — Matthew Adams, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 2 Nov. 2026
Verb
  • The companies are spending hundreds of billions of dollars for the chips, computers, and networking gear, in addition to land, energy, and construction, to erect the data centers.
    — Alexei Oreskovic, Fortune, 5 Nov. 2026
  • Roosevelt erected an edifice of regulation and public assistance where nothing of the kind had existed in American history.
    — Business Columnist, Los Angeles Times, 5 Nov. 2026
Verb
  • Her wish list included healthy trees, an extra bedroom for visitors and a house that was either newly built or recently renovated.
    — Heather Senison, New York Times, 5 Nov. 2026
  • Pat and Jerry Brown as inspirations, citing the younger Brown’s fiscal expertise and the elder’s work to build infrastructure and grow the University of California.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 5 Nov. 2026
Verb
  • Their activity creates a growing stream of branch updates, code reviews, merges, and repository downloads.
    — Aamir Khollam, Interesting Engineering, 3 Nov. 2026
  • Tapestry's recognition also adds to a growing collection of national honors earned by Minnesota food businesses.
    — CBS News, CBS News, 3 Nov. 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

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Raise.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/raise. Accessed 10 Nov. 2026.

More from Merriam-Webster on raise

Love words? Need even more definitions?

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

More from Merriam-Webster