increase

An amount by which a quantity is increased.

Noun

  1. An amount by which a quantity is increased.
    • An increase of about 30% in hits on the website.
    • Surprisingly, this analysis revealed that acute exposure to solvent vapors at concentrations below those associated with long-term effects appears to increase the risk of a fatal automobile accident. Furthermore, this...
    • She says an increase in melting from climate change may put that at risk. - 2018, VOA Learning English > China's Melting Glacier Brings Visitors, Adds to Climate Concerns:
  2. For a quantity, the act or process of becoming larger.
  3. Offspring, progeny.
    • That infortunate imperfit Embrion of my idle houres the Ile of Dogs before mentioned, breeding vnto me ſuch bitter throwes in the teaming as it did, and the tempeſtes that aroſe at his birth, ſo aſtoniſhing outragious...
  4. The creation of one or more new stitches; see Increase (knitting).

Origin

From Middle English encresen, borrowed from Anglo-Norman encreistre, from Latin increscere (“to increase”), from in (“in, on”) + crescō (“grow”). The noun is from Middle English encres, from the verb.

Forms

increases encrease

Synonyms

gain increment raise rise uptick acquisition enlargement expansion

Antonyms

cut decrease decrement drop fall loss lowering reduction shrinkage decline diminishment

Derived

disincrease natural increase rate nonincrease reincrease

Verb

  1. To become larger or greater, to greaten.
    • His rage only increased when I told him of the lost money.
    • The waters increased and bare up the ark. - 1611, The Holy Bible, […] (King James Version), London: […] Robert Barker, […], →OCLC, Genesis 7:17:
    • The heavens forbid / But that our loves and comforts should increase, / Even as our days do grow! - c. 1603–1604 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Tragedie of Othello, the Moore of Venice”, in Mr. William...
  2. To make (a quantity, etc.) larger.
    • The single-imaging optic of the mammalian eye offers some distinct visual advantages. Such lenses can take in photons from a wide range of angles, increasing light sensitivity. They also have high spatial resolution,...
    • Drivers like the idea of increasing traffic flow and reducing congestion on the portion of I-80 between Davis and West Sacramento. - 2024 May 17, Orko Manna, “Toll lane project on Interstate 80 between West Sacramento...
  3. To multiply by the production of young; to be fertile, fruitful, or prolific.
    • Fishes are infinitely more numerous of increasing than Beasts or Birds, as appears by the numerous Spawn. - a. 1677 (date written), Matthew Hale, The Primitive Origination of Mankind, Considered and Examined According...
  4. To become more nearly full; to show more of the surface; to wax.
    • The Moon increases.

Forms

increases increasing increased encrease

Synonyms

wax go up grow rise soar shoot up greaten increment raise up proliferate propagate teem accelerate accrue aggrandize augment embiggen enhance enlarge heighten increase swell wind up

Antonyms

decrease drop fall go down plummet plunge reduce shrink sink cut decrement lower wane contract lessen

Hypernyms

happen

Hyponyms

aggravate brighten crescendo escalate intensify broaden climb deepen dilate go up lengthen widen burgeon expand inflate multiply propagate quicken speed up surge compound rise ascend accumulate

Derived

disincrease increasability increasable Increase increasement increaser reincrease