raise

1 of 2

verb

raised; raising

transitive verb

1
: to cause or help to rise to a standing position
2
a
b
: to stir up : incite
raise a rebellion
c
: to flush (game) from cover
d
: to recall from or as if from death
3
a
: to set upright by lifting or building
raise a monument
b
: to lift up
raise your hand
raise sunken treasure
c
: to place higher in rank or dignity : elevate
d
: heighten, invigorate
raise the spirits
e
: to end or suspend the operation or validity of
raise a siege
4
: to get together for a purpose : collect
raise funds
5
a
: grow, cultivate
raise cotton
b
: to bring to maturity : rear
raise a child
c
: to breed and bring (an animal) to maturity
6
a
: to give rise to : provoke
raise a commotion
b
: to give voice to
raise a cheer
7
: to bring up for consideration or debate
raise an issue
8
a
: to increase the strength, intensity, or pitch of
don't raise your voice
b
: to increase the degree of
c
: to cause to rise in level or amount
raise the rent
d(1)
: to increase the amount of (a poker bet)
(2)
: to bet more than (a previous bettor)
e(1)
: to make a higher bridge bid in (a partner's suit)
(2)
: to increase the bid of (one's partner)
9
: to make light and porous
raise dough
10
: to cause to ascend
raise the dust
11
: to multiply (a quantity) by itself a specified number of times
raise two to the fourth power
12
: to bring in sight on the horizon by approaching
raise land
13
a
: to bring up the nap of (cloth)
b
: to cause (something, such as a blister) to form on the skin
14
: to increase the nominal value of fraudulently
raise a check
15
: to articulate (a sound) with the tongue in a higher position
16
: to establish radio communication with

intransitive verb

1
dialect : rise
2
: to increase a bet or bid
raiser noun

raise

2 of 2

noun

1
: an act of raising or lifting
2
: a rising stretch of road : an upward grade : rise
3
: an increase in amount: such as
a
: an increase of a bet or bid
b
: an increase in wages or salary
4
: a vertical or inclined opening or passageway connecting one mine working area with another at a higher level
Phrases
raise Cain or raise hell
1
: to act wildly : create a disturbance
2
: to scold or upbraid someone especially loudly
raised hell with the umpire
raise eyebrows
: to cause surprise or mild disapproval
raise the bar
: to set a higher standard
new software that raises the bar for competitors
Choose the Right Synonym for raise

lift, raise, rear, elevate, hoist, heave, boost mean to move from a lower to a higher place or position.

lift usually implies exerting effort to overcome resistance of weight.

lift the chair while I vacuum

raise carries a stronger implication of bringing up to the vertical or to a high position.

scouts raising a flagpole

rear may add an element of suddenness to raise.

suddenly reared itself up on its hind legs

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

elevated the taste of the public

hoist implies lifting something heavy especially by mechanical means.

hoisted the cargo on board

heave implies lifting and throwing with great effort or strain.

heaved the heavy crate inside

boost suggests assisting to climb or advance by a push.

boosted his brother over the fence

Examples of raise in a Sentence

Verb Raise your hand if you know the answer. Raise your arms above your head. He raised his head and looked around. She raised her eyes from her book and stared at him. He raised the cup to his lips and drank. I raised the lid and peeked inside. Let's raise the windows and get some fresh air in here. We raised the flag to the top of the pole. I carefully raised her to a sitting position. She raised herself onto her knees. Noun the school board approved a raise in the maximum family income for students qualifying for reduced-price lunches
Recent Examples on the Web
Verb
Legitimate questions will likely be raised about whether evacuations and recovery efforts should have been mobilized earlier or perhaps prior to the storm. Marshall Shepherd, Forbes, 19 Oct. 2024 To be sure, employees at a Chipotle location in Michigan unionized in 2022 while Niccol was at the helm, and the U.S. labor board in August found merit to workers’ claims that the company illegally withheld raises for them. Paulina Likos, CNBC, 19 Oct. 2024
Noun
That’s a sizeable raise for the 29-year-old, who was claimed by the Kraken in the 2021 expansion draft. Carol Schram, Forbes, 19 Oct. 2024 Context: Those pay bumps would be tied to either the consumer price index or the average raises for employees in career services over the past four years, with the lowest deciding each official's raise. Esteban L. Hernandez, Axios, 17 Oct. 2024 See all Example Sentences for raise 

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'raise.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Verb

Middle English reisen, raisen, from Old Norse reisa — more at rear

First Known Use

Verb

13th century, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1

Noun

1538, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of raise was in the 13th century

Dictionary Entries Near raise

Cite this Entry

“Raise.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/raise. Accessed 31 Oct. 2024.

Kids Definition

raise

1 of 2 verb
raised; raising
1
: to cause to rise
raise a window
raise dust
2
a
: awake entry 1, arouse
enough noise to raise the dead
b
: to recall from or as if from death
c
: to stir up : incite
raise a rebellion
3
a
: to set upright by lifting or building
raise a monument
b
: to lift up
raise your hand
c
: to place higher especially in rank : promote
was raised to captain
d
: heighten sense 1, invigorate
raise the spirits
4
: collect entry 2 sense 1b
raise funds
5
a
: to look after the growth and development of : grow
raise hogs
raise corn
b
: bring up sense 1, rear sense 3b
raise a child
was raised in the city
6
: bring about
raised a laugh
7
: to bring to notice
raise an issue
8
a
: to increase the strength of
don't raise your voice
b
: to increase the amount of
raise the rent
c
: to increase a bid or bet
9
: to make light and airy
raise dough
10
: to multiply a quantity by itself a specified number of times
raise two to the fourth power
11
: to bring into sight on the horizon by approaching
raised land at last
12
: to cause to form on the skin
raise a blister
raiser noun

raise

2 of 2 noun
1
: an increase in the amount of a bet or bid
2
: an increase in pay

More from Merriam-Webster on raise

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