Synonyms of raise

raise 1 of 2

verb

ˈrāz 

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

• lift
• elevate
• hoist
• uplift
• boost
• heave
• heighten
• uphold
• up
• hike
• take up
• rise
• crane
• mount
• ascend
• jack (up)
• pick up
• perk (up)
• upraise
• heft
• rear
• upend

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• lower
• drop
• fall
• push
• descend
• slip
• plunge
• bear
• dip
• press
• depress
• pitch
• sink
• submerge

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

Synonyms & Similar Words

• foster
• teach
• educate
• breed
• promote
• nurture
• cultivate
• feed
• watch
• mother
• bring up
• cradle
• nourish
• nurse
• attend
• father
• rear
• supply
• lead
• instruct
• prepare
• minister (to)
• provide (for)
• forward
• school
• further
• mentor
• train
• show
• guide
• enlighten
• care (for)
• indoctrinate
• discipline
• edify
• direct
• advance
• mind
• tutor
• shepherd

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• ignore
• abuse
• mistreat
• maltreat
• hurt
• neglect
• injure
• harm
• mishandle
• ill-treat
• ill-use

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

Synonyms & Similar Words

• provoke
• promote
• encourage
• trigger
• stimulate
• incite
• cultivate
• set in motion
• stir (up)
• instigate
• pick
• foment
• ferment
• whip (up)
• brew
• abet
• foster
• nurture
• inspire
• forward
• further
• set off
• motivate
• nourish
• rouse
• sow
• detonate
• activate
• advance
• set
• galvanize
• excite
• energize
• inflame
• enliven
• invigorate
• quicken
• fire
• jazz (up)
• vitalize
• liven (up)
• pep (up)

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• hold
• check
• regulate
• restrain
• discourage
• inhibit
• curb
• constrain
• tame
• rein (in)
• settle
• allay
• calm
• subdue
• soothe
• bridle
• quiet
• still
• tranquilize

4

as in to elicit

to draw out (something hidden, latent, or reserved)

the lawsuit raised old resentments that had never been completely extinguished

Synonyms & Similar Words

• elicit
• evoke
• inspire
• get
• call forth
• reveal
• pull
• gain
• educe
• obtain
• extract
• extort
• drag
• expose
• procure
• wring
• secure
• wrest
• dredge (up)
• uncover
• coax (out)
• disclose
• discover
• wangle
• divulge
• unveil
• bare
• unmask
• evince
• uncloak

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• ignore
• forget
• miss
• pass over
• disregard
• overlook
• neglect
• overpass

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

Synonyms & Similar Words

• erect
• lift
• hoist
• rear
• set up
• pitch
• elevate
• put up
• upend
• upraise
• support
• up
• brace
• uphold
• buttress
• heighten
• uplift
• hike
• boost
• shore (up)
• crane
• prop (up)
• heave
• heft
• jack (up)
• perk (up)
• pick up

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• level
• flatten
• demolish
• tear down
• raze
• knock down

6

as in to build

to form by putting together parts or materials

raised a memorial on the site of the historic event

Synonyms & Similar Words

• build
• construct
• assemble
• make
• create
• erect
• establish
• found
• produce
• set up
• fabricate
• make up
• manufacture
• put up
• rear
• piece
• put together
• generate
• design
• confect
• rebuild
• organize
• shape
• initiate
• begin
• forge
• hammer
• originate
• concoct
• devise
• mold
• carpenter
• invent
• inaugurate
• constitute
• innovate
• reconstruct
• institute
• frame
• father
• conceive
• coin
• combine
• imagine
• fashion
• contrive
• retrofit
• throw up
• cook (up)
• reassemble
• handcraft
• think (up)
• prefabricate
• unite
• redevelop
• reedify
• rig (up)
• jerry-build

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• destroy
• strike
• dismantle
• take down
• tear down
• flatten
• knock down
• ruin
• level
• disassemble
• dismember
• smash
• shatter
• pull down
• demolish
• raze
• explode
• pulverize
• wreck
• devastate
• blow up
• divide
• detach
• disengage
• separate
• demount
• ruinate
• disconnect
• disunite
• disjoin

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

• grow
• cultivate
• produce
• promote
• plant
• tend
• harvest
• culture
• crop
• propagate
• dress
• rear
• breed
• reap
• sow
• gather
• sprout
• glean
• ripen
• root
• quicken
• germinate

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• kill
• pick
• pull (up)
• dig
• cut
• pluck
• hay
• uproot
• extirpate
• mow

8

as in to increase

to make greater in size, amount, or number

the multiplex raised the ticket price

Synonyms & Similar Words

• increase
• accelerate
• augment
• expand
• boost
• multiply
• extend
• enhance
• reinforce
• maximize
• add (to)
• escalate
• amplify
• intensify
• stoke
• swell
• strengthen
• build up
• up
• enlarge
• pump up
• aggrandize
• compound
• supplement
• supersize
• heighten
• jump
• skyrocket
• hype
• lengthen
• develop
• inflate
• draw out
• prolong
• spike
• complement
• elongate
• dilate
• distend
• bump (up)
• boom
• flesh (out)
• stretch
• protract
• blow up
• accumulate
• magnify
• collect
• amass
• rachet (up)
• ratchet (up)
• follow up
• beef (up)
• parlay

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• reduce
• decrease
• diminish
• lower
• lessen
• abate
• subtract (from)
• downsize
• dwindle
• curtail
• shorten
• abridge
• abbreviate
• minify
• compress
• contract
• de-escalate
• condense
• constrict
• cut back
• retrench

9

as in to promote

to move higher in rank or position

he was recently raised to lieutenant in the fire department

Synonyms & Similar Words

• promote
• elevate
• upgrade
• improve
• advance
• forward
• kick upstairs
• lift
• further
• heighten
• uplift
• commend
• celebrate
• decorate
• honor
• congratulate
• boost
• aggrandize
• applaud
• knight
• ennoble
• salute
• compliment
• cite
• exalt
• praise
• extol
• acclaim
• eulogize
• commission
• laud
• hail
• glorify

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• reduce
• lower
• degrade
• remove
• dismiss
• downgrade
• overthrow
• expel
• impeach
• oust
• depose
• unseat
• humble
• demote
• abase
• take down
• humiliate
• shame
• demean
• dishonor
• dethrone
• disgrace
• denounce
• condemn
• unmake
• damn
• censure
• mortify
• reprobate

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

• introduce
• discuss
• place
• suggest
• mention
• bring up
• propose
• offer
• broach
• moot
• debate
• cite
• refer (to)
• express
• allude (to)
• speak (of)
• interrupt
• name
• interject
• talk (about)
• air
• ventilate
• vent
• thrash (out or over)

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• suppress
• silence
• quiet
• censor
• hush (up)

11

as in to express

to make known (as an idea, emotion, or opinion)

too afraid to raise an objection

Synonyms & Similar Words

• express
• voice
• give
• state
• look
• announce
• air
• write
• ventilate
• put forth
• expound
• sound
• say
• vent
• convey
• proclaim
• declare
• publish
• describe
• give air to
• advertise
• disseminate
• circulate
• offer
• submit
• broadcast
• enunciate
• communicate
• speak out
• write up
• speak up
• put over
• put across
• enounce
• sound off
• chime in

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• suppress
• restrict
• restrain
• stifle
• censor

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

Synonyms & Similar Words

• increase
• gain
• boost
• rise
• addition
• increment
• augmentation
• supplement
• expansion
• plus
• accrual
• step-up
• proliferation
• more
• accretion
• accumulation
• addendum
• uptick
• jump
• continuation
• gathering
• complement
• spike
• extension
• collection
• upturn
• appendix
• accession
• assemblage
• uptrend
• run-up

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• decrease
• lowering
• reduction
• loss
• fall
• decline
• depletion
• shrinkage
• abatement
• diminution
• decrement
• lessening
• deduction
• falloff
• diminishment
• drop-off
• step-down
• subtraction

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

Recent Examples of raise

Verb

Suarez was subpoenaed in 2024 by the SEC to testify in Kapoor’s case about his relationship with the developer and his URBIN consultant duties, which involved raising funds from potential investors. —Jay Weaver, Miami Herald, 14 May 2026

The fund aims to raise $100 million and is dedicated to helping kids access education and soccer. —Jesse Zanger, CBS News, 14 May 2026

Noun

Workplaces used to value loyalty highly—exhibited through retention, measures of absenteeism, and engagement—and rewarded loyal employees with job security, pay raises, and other perks. —Tristan Bove, Fortune, 14 May 2026

In court filings, Rogers, who is Black, said she was denied promotions and pay raises that were given to white counterparts over her years working at TCC. —Matthew Adams, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 14 May 2026

Phrases Containing raise

• raise Cain
• raise hell