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

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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

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

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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

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

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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
Nunes’ struggles to find appropriate support — legally and socially — leading her to create the eponymous NGO to help families facing similar issues while raising trans children. —Rafa Sales Ross, Variety, 11 Oct. 2025 Johnson raised concerns that nuking the filibuster could one day empower socialists, in an appearance on C-SPAN Thursday. —Steven T. Dennis, Fortune, 11 Oct. 2025
Noun
Shares rose nearly 1% following reports that the chipmaker was tapped for xAI’s $20 billion raise. —Liz Napolitano, CNBC, 8 Oct. 2025 But one player who is destined to remain on the team despite a brutal setback on both offense and defense this season can expect a pay raise. —Peter Chawaga, MSNBC Newsweek, 7 Oct. 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
  • The fragrance opens with this bright, fizzy combination of raspberry, orange flower, and mandarin that immediately lifts your mood.
    — Kimberly Wilson, Essence, 10 Oct. 2025
  • Eight, maybe nine years removed from swiping worms from the corner store and lifting loose change from cars in the mall parking lot.
    — Allen Iverson, Rolling Stone, 10 Oct. 2025
Definition of lift
Verb
  • Growing up, and well into my early adulthood, my grandma was my best friend—a person who fostered a sense of confidence in me, loved me unconditionally, and gave me the best taste in everything nostalgic from her younger years.
    — Alicia Geigel, Southern Living, 8 Oct. 2025
  • This isolated upbringing, Lieberman explained, fostered a strong emotional dependence in Ed.
    — Allison DeGrushe, Entertainment Weekly, 8 Oct. 2025
Definition of foster
Verb
  • The combined vaccine has been extensively studied and consistently shown to provoke an immune response comparable to what’s seen when the individual vaccines are given separately, and without raising the risk of serious side effects.
    — Katia Hetter, CNN Money, 8 Oct. 2025
  • Things that are shocking and terrible provoke our curiosity; if nothing ever went wrong, there would be no newspapers.
    — Caity Weaver, The Atlantic, 8 Oct. 2025
Definition of provoke
Verb
  • Perhaps none of the Wizards’ many prospects elicit more passionate, and more divergent, opinions than Sarr does.
    — Josh Robbins, New York Times, 7 Oct. 2025
  • The style change elicited an absurd amount of commentary in the media.
    — Emily Nussbaum, New Yorker, 6 Oct. 2025
Definition of elicit
Verb
  • While stadiums and luxury hotels are erected, hospitals remain overcrowded and rural areas underserved.
    — Kara Fox, CNN Money, 4 Oct. 2025
  • The group was later able to recover the statue — with the figures ripped from their pedestals and broken into pieces — and set about trying to re-erect it.
    — Rachel Treisman, NPR, 3 Oct. 2025
Definition of erect
Verb
  • The broad international effort has built widespread support for the latest ceasefire and raised hopes that this one will last.
    — Greg Myre, NPR, 9 Oct. 2025
  • Considered one of the most precise and dependable strategic weapons ever built, the Trident II remains a cornerstone of the US and UK’s nuclear deterrence forces, operated by the US Navy’s Strategic Systems Programs and the Royal Navy.
    — Neetika Walter, Interesting Engineering, 9 Oct. 2025
Definition of build
Verb
  • Over the years, the couple gave parcels of the land away for churches, schools and hospitals for the community to grow.
    — Amanda Rosa, Miami Herald, 10 Oct. 2025
  • Lawson-Remer cited the connection between education and clinical practice, and the ability to keep working while learning, as the key factors in making progress in the larger goal of significantly growing the local mental health care workforce.
    — Paul Sisson, San Diego Union-Tribune, 10 Oct. 2025
Definition of grow
Verb
  • That, alongside Newcastle’s desire to spread the fee over multiple years (whereas Como were going to pay in one lump sum), led to Milan increasing their asking price.
    — Chris Waugh, New York Times, 7 Oct. 2025
  • Milwaukee is not alone in seeking to implement or increase a wheel tax to raise local revenue.
    — Vanessa Swales, jsonline.com, 6 Oct. 2025
Definition of increase

Phrases Containing raise

Browse Nearby Words

rainy day
raise
raise Cain
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Raise.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/raise. Accessed 13 Oct. 2025.

Copy Citation

Share

More from Merriam-Webster on raise

Nglish: Translation of raise for Spanish Speakers

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about raise

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

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

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

Putting Adjectives in the Right Order

Using Bullet Points ( • )

The Difference Between 'i.e.' and 'e.g.'

Democracy or Republic: What's the difference?

7 Pairs of Commonly Confused Words
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

Skibidi, Mog & More: Gen Alpha Slang

Great Big List of Beautiful and Useless Words, Vol. 3

Ten More Words from Taylor Swift Songs

Birds Say the Darndest Things

Even More Bird Names that Sound Like Insults (and Sometimes Are)
See More

Popular

See More

Putting Adjectives in the Right Order

Skibidi, Mog & More: Gen Alpha Slang

Great Big List of Beautiful and Useless Words, Vol. 3
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
a group of lemurs
Name That Animal: Volume 2 Can you tell a meerkat from a wombat?
See All