raise 1 of 2

verb

ˈrāz How to pronounce raise (audio)
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

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2
as in to foster
to bring to maturity through care and education since she was only two when her mother died, the girl was raised mainly by her aunt

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3
as in to provoke
to bring (something volatile or intense) into being a proposal to cover the library's red brick with vinyl siding raised a mighty ruckus with those favoring historical preservation

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4
as in to elicit
to draw out (something hidden, latent, or reserved) the lawsuit raised old resentments that had never been completely extinguished

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5
as in to erect
to fix in an upright position the mattress will fit into the moving truck only if we raise it on its side

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6
as in to build
to form by putting together parts or materials raised a memorial on the site of the historic event

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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

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8
as in to increase
to make greater in size, amount, or number the multiplex raised the ticket price

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9
as in to promote
to move higher in rank or position he was recently raised to lieutenant in the fire department

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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

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11
as in to express
to make known (as an idea, emotion, or opinion) too afraid to raise an objection

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raise

2 of 2

noun

as in increase
something added (as by growth) the school board approved a raise in the maximum family income for students qualifying for reduced-price lunches

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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
Ideally, clinical trials will be paired with basic research to help scientists answer the many questions this discovery has raised. —Lisa Jarvis, Twin Cities, 8 Nov. 2025 She was born and raised in a small town in West Virginia and started to pursue boxing in college. —Caroline Blair, PEOPLE, 8 Nov. 2025
Noun
Quincy Mayor Thomas Koch, who is pushing for a hefty raise, was slapped with multiple state campaign finance violations and ordered to pay $55,000 to settle the matter. —Gayla Cawley, Boston Herald, 6 Nov. 2025 The proposal additionally notes that the agency is trying to save money by not hiring people to fill open positions as well as ending bonuses and cost-of-living raises for senior staffers. —Blake Nelson, San Diego Union-Tribune, 6 Nov. 2025 See All Example Sentences for raise
Recent Examples of Synonyms for raise
  1. lift
  2. foster
  3. provoke
  4. elicit
  5. erect
  6. build
  7. grow
  8. increase
Verb
  • Expedia lifted its forecast for full-year revenue growth sharply, thanks in part to 26% quarterly growth in the business-to-business travel division that Gorin ran before becoming CEO.
    — Andrew Edgecliffe-Johnson, semafor.com, 7 Nov. 2025
  • The plane, an MD-11, lifted off the runway and gained enough altitude to clear a fence at the end of the runway, Inman said during a previous news conference.
    — Ray Padilla, Louisville Courier Journal, 7 Nov. 2025
Definition of lift
Verb
  • The Empath fosters psychological safety, inclusive dialogue and a culture of empathy.
    — Kelly Jones, MSNBC Newsweek, 6 Nov. 2025
  • Even here, though, the focus of most of Biden’s efforts at fostering economic cooperation was regional, not global.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 5 Nov. 2025
Definition of foster
Verb
  • However, this year's ad has provoked widespread criticism, with some even calling for a boycott of Sephora.
    — Reia Li, AZCentral.com, 4 Nov. 2025
  • These characters are so thin, their storylines so flimsy and their motives so underbaked that there’s no recognizable emotion underlying any of it, and thus no feeling to be provoked by watching it.
    — Angie Han, HollywoodReporter, 4 Nov. 2025
Definition of provoke
Verb
  • The suit also alleged that two former deputy district attorneys elicited false testimony during Dorotik’s original preliminary hearing and trial, suppressed evidence that should have been disclosed to Dorotik’s defense attorneys and misrepresented evidence to the jury.
    — Alex Riggins, San Diego Union-Tribune, 11 Nov. 2025
  • For Gay, the political landscape at home has elicited some spontaneous reactions from strangers abroad.
    — Terry Ward, CNN Money, 10 Nov. 2025
Definition of elicit
Verb
  • The tent was a remnant of the structures erected by the United Nations High Command for Refugees to provide shade for migrants, Dumasá said.
    — Daniel Gonzalez, AZCentral.com, 5 Nov. 2025
  • The end of a building erected in the 1940s?
    — Raechal Shewfelt, Entertainment Weekly, 29 Oct. 2025
Definition of erect
Verb
  • In August, The Guardian said the Israeli Defense Forces' Unit 8200 had built a system in Microsoft's Azure cloud for tracking Palestinians' phone calls as part of the country's invasion of Gaza, leading Microsoft to investigate the newspaper's assertions.
    — Jordan Novet, CNBC, 6 Nov. 2025
  • To build workplaces that are not just more efficient, but more human.
    — Kelly Jones, MSNBC Newsweek, 6 Nov. 2025
Definition of build
Verb
  • Several of the production facilities that CNN analyzed have swiftly replaced villages and farmland, growing by tens of thousands of square feet in the past five years.
    — Tamara Qiblawi, CNN Money, 7 Nov. 2025
  • Though George Washington and the press started off amicably, their relationship grew more adversarial once journalists began criticizing the nation’s first president.
    — JSTOR Daily, JSTOR Daily, 7 Nov. 2025
Definition of grow
Verb
  • The impact of the government shutdown increased as the Senate repeatedly failed to advance legislation to end the funding lapse.
    — Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 11 Nov. 2025
  • Last year, Reuters reported that the government was preparing to increase usage of crypto assets in its oil exports to overcome the US sanctions.
    — Stefano Pozzebon, CNN Money, 11 Nov. 2025
Definition of increase

Phrases Containing raise

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rainy day
raise
raise Cain
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Cite this Entry

“Raise.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/raise. Accessed 12 Nov. 2025.

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More from Merriam-Webster on raise

Nglish: Translation of raise for Spanish Speakers

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about raise

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