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
The lineup was personally curated by Chris Martin of Coldplay to benefit FIFA Global Citizen’s Education Fund, which launched in April with a mission to raise $100 million for children’s education and soccer programs all over the world. —Hannah Dailey, Billboard, 9 June 2025 The sudden engagement, with the wedding set to occur in just two weeks, raises suspicions among Tiffany’s parents, Brian (also portrayed by Perry) and his ex-wife Debrah (Taja V. Simpson). —Matt Grobar, Deadline, 9 June 2025
Noun
In addition to Ekblad, center Sam Bennett is also a pending free agent and will be due a hefty pay raise from his current deal that is paying him an average of $4.425 million per season. —Jordan McPherson, Miami Herald, 3 June 2025 The raises are cost-of-living adjustments included in state law, though past legislatures have voted to freeze their own pay — a move that has drawn legal challenges. —Dan Petrella, Chicago Tribune, 1 June 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
  • But after President Joseph R. Biden Jr. lifted the bans in January 2021, travel from those countries — and from Chad, Libya and Yemen — more than rebounded.
    — Allison McCann, New York Times, 5 June 2025
  • At its core, AI promises to lift the burdens of inefficiency, confusion and repetition, freeing us to work smarter, live better and dream bigger.
    — Son Nguyen, Forbes.com, 4 June 2025
Definition of lift
Verb
  • Moreover, narcissistic parents often foster competition and sibling rivalry, or even compete with their children’s romantic partners.
    — Mark Travers, Forbes.com, 14 June 2025
  • The Trump administration’s attacks on historic policies fostering diversity, equity and inclusion have many people on edge.
    — Briah Lumpkins, Charlotte Observer, 13 June 2025
Definition of foster
Verb
  • Couple that with an alarming increase in misogyny in both politics and the culture at large, and women in the public eye are at constant risk of accidentally provoking these types of hate campaigns.
    — Stephanie McNeal, Glamour, 13 June 2025
  • The 1925 offside rule, therefore, initially created incredibly attack-minded football, and then provoked considerably more cautious football.
    — Michael Cox, New York Times, 12 June 2025
Definition of provoke
Verb
  • This is not something meant to elicit praise, surprise, disgust or a call from my gastroenterologist.
    — Jenn Harris, Los Angeles Times, 9 June 2025
  • That assessment is likely to elicit wide eyes and snarky responses across college football, but her case comes with an important caveat.
    — Jon Wilner, Mercury News, 5 June 2025
Definition of elicit
Verb
  • According to the lawsuit, the Williamses erected a shed against the church’s fence.
    — Rachel Roberts, Idaho Statesman, 30 May 2025
  • The regular season is winding down this month, but the Summer for the City festival is coming up, and a crew is erecting a stage near the central fountain.
    — Justin Davidson, Curbed, 30 May 2025
Definition of erect
Verb
  • Being transparent in this way helps build trust and demonstrates a genuine dedication to improvement.
    — Rolling Stone Culture Council, Rolling Stone, 9 June 2025
  • Former combatants in Colombia’s long-standing internal conflict are increasingly being lured to Mexico by criminal groups to train hitmen, build bombs and fight bloody turf battles.
    — Kate Linthicum, Los Angeles Times, 9 June 2025
Definition of build
Verb
  • In the decades since, PEOPLE has grown to become the iconic brand it is known as today — expanding from a newsstand-only publication to now include digital news coverage and social media coverage, as well as a new app, among other ventures.
    — Nicholas Rice, People.com, 8 June 2025
  • In addition, administrative staff positions at most universities and colleges has grown faster than faculty.
    — Paul Weinstein Jr, Forbes.com, 7 June 2025
Definition of grow
Verb
  • Whether that caution slows adoption or increases security maturity remains to be seen, but the message is unambiguous: the era of unchecked AI optimism in federal cybersecurity is over.
    — Emil Sayegh, Forbes.com, 7 June 2025
  • The company said an indicator light on the vehicle fails to light up and warn drivers of a traction control system or dynamic stability control system issue, increasing the likelihood of them crashing.
    — Saleen Martin, USA Today, 7 June 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 18 Jun. 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

'Affect' vs. 'Effect'

Using Bullet Points ( • )

Words You Always Have to Look Up

Democracy or Republic: What's the difference?

Your vs. You're: How to Use Them Correctly
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

8 Words for the Wordy and Talking Too Much

How 'Namaste' Entered The English Language

10 Hella Good U.S. Regionalisms

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

'Za' and 9 Other Words to Help You Win at SCRABBLE
See More

Popular

See More

'Affect' vs. 'Effect'

8 Words for the Wordy and Talking Too Much

How 'Namaste' Entered The English Language
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?
Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
alt-684346df967d5
Add A Letter Quiz Pick the letter that goes in the same spot in fou...
See All