increase

American  

[in-krees, in-krees] / ɪnˈkris, ˈɪn kris /

verb (used with object)

• increases,
  present (3rd person singular)
• increased,
  past participle,  past
• increasing
  present participle

1. to make greater, as in number, size, strength, or quality; augment; add to.

   to increase taxes.

   Synonyms:

   prolong, extend, expand

   Antonyms:

   decrease

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verb (used without object)

• increases,
  present (3rd person singular)
• increased,
  past participle,  past
• increasing
  present participle

1. to become greater, as in number, size, strength, or quality.

   Sales of automobiles increased last year.

   Antonyms:

   wane, lessen, contract, abate, decrease

2. to multiply by propagation.

   Synonyms:

   swell, grow, expand, propagate

3. to wax, as the moon.

noun

• increases
  plural

1. growth or augmentation in numbers, size, strength, quality, etc..

   the increase of crime.

2. the act or process of increasing.

   Synonyms:

   expansion, enlargement

3. that by which something is increased.

4. the result of increasing.

5. produce of the earth.

6. product; profit; interest.

7. Obsolete.

   1. multiplication by propagation; production of offspring.

   2. offspring; progeny.

increase British  

/ ɪnˈkriːsɪdlɪ /

verb

1. to make or become greater in size, degree, frequency, etc; grow or expand

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noun

1. the act of increasing; augmentation

2. the amount by which something increases

3. increasing, esp becoming more frequent

Usage

What does increase mean? To increase is to become greater or more in number, amount, size, or in some other way, as in Our profits will increase as demand increases. As a verb, increase is also used in an active way in which someone or something is doing the increasing, as in I’m going to increase my hours at work or These sunglasses increase visibility. Increase can also be used as a noun referring to a rise or growth in something, as in We are experiencing an increase in applicants. It can also refer to the amount by which something has increased, as in The increase was $5,000 per year. The words increased and increasing can both be used as adjectives, as in an increased appetite or increasing sales. The opposite of increase as both a verb and a noun is decrease. Example: My boss increased my workload, which led to an increase in stress.

Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• increaser
  noun
• nonincrease
  noun
• preincrease
  noun
• superincrease
  noun
• reincrease
  verb
• preincrease
  verb (used with object)
• superincrease
  verb (used with object)
• increasable
  adjective
• nonincreasable
  adjective
• proincrease
  adjective
• quasi-increased
  adjective
• unincreasable
  adjective
• unincreased
  adjective
• increasedly
  adverb

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• increases
  plural

Participles

• increasing
  present
• increased
  past

Conjugated Forms

Present

• increase
  simple
• increases
  simple
• have increased
  perfect
• has increased
  perfect
• am increasing
  progressive
• are increasing
  progressive
• is increasing
  progressive
• have been increasing
  perfect progressive
• has been increasing
  perfect progressive

Past

• increased
  simple
• had increased
  perfect
• was increasing
  progressive
• were increasing
  progressive
• had been increasing
  perfect progressive

Future

• will increase
  simple
• will have increased
  perfect
• will be increasing
  progressive
• will have been increasing
  perfect progressive

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Etymology

Origin of increase

First recorded in 1370–1395; Middle English incresen, encresen, from Anglo-French encres-, Middle French encreis(s)-, stem of encreistre, from Latin incrēscere, equivalent to in- in- ² + crēscere “to grow”; see crescent

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Explanation

The noun increase indicates growth of something that gets bigger in number or volume. When used as a verb, it means the act of growing or gaining more. However it's used, it refers to something that has gotten bigger. Anything that can add on can increase. You can increase your speed to go faster, increase your strength by working out, increase your knowledge by studying, and increase your circle of friends by meeting more people. You can work harder to see an increase of profits, and you can prevent an increase in your electric bill by turning out unnecessary lights. And now you’ve increased your vocabulary by learning a new word!

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

increase increases increased increasing

This increase in storminess is why the storm-naming season begins in September each year.

From BBC ● Oct. 17, 2026

This marked a 12-percent increase from the prior year, when the shortfall came in at $1.78 trillion.

From Barron's ● Oct. 16, 2026

She said she was working to increase protections, including using the Los Angeles Police Department to document federal enforcement activity.

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 16, 2026

The selloff in AI stocks created safe-haven demand for government bonds, and comments from Federal Reserve officials reduced expectations for another immediate rate increase.

From MarketWatch ● Oct. 16, 2026

Was it to increase the strength of the spirit communications as Leah suggested?

From "American Spirits" by Barb Rosenstock

"The wider issue is the cumulative impact. Businesses can only absorb so many increases before they affect investment, project viability and ultimately the prices customers pay".

From BBC ● Oct. 16, 2026

Students protested nationwide over conditions in schools on Friday, along with a teachers' union demanding wage increases and new hires.

From Barron's ● Oct. 16, 2026

Their strategy of “looking through” tariff-related price increases and supply crimps, amid robust demand, is now questioned by Fed officials themselves.

From MarketWatch ● Oct. 16, 2026

International students have also faced pressures, as the government restricts visa programs and increases costs significantly for others.

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 16, 2026

The risk of such an exodus increases as China’s economy soars, North Korea’s sinks, and word spreads that life is better in China.

From "Escape from Camp 14: One Man's Remarkable Odyssey from North Korea to Freedom in the West" by Blaine Harden

There are also longer term signals for increased rainfall and storminess later in autumn and early winter in the UK.

From BBC ● Oct. 17, 2026

His government had already increased payments under Bolsa Familia, Brazil's flagship welfare program for low-income families, before the first round.

From Barron's ● Oct. 16, 2026

But with Ventura County facing increased outages, the Simi Valley home game has been moved to Saturday at 3:30 p.m.

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 16, 2026

A September survey from the National Association of Home Builders found the cost of labor had increased a median of 4.2% from the previous year.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 16, 2026

Fig’s blood sugar was still too high, so Dr. Spires had increased his daily insulin amount.

From "Sir Fig Newton and the Science of Persistence" by Sonja Thomas

And as a result, the 43-year-old Spaniard is under increasing pressure as Fulham prepare to face Hull City at Craven Cottage at 15:00 BST on Saturday.

From BBC ● Oct. 16, 2026

Technical progress has benefited the customer without increasing the provider’s profit dollars on that sale.

From MarketWatch ● Oct. 16, 2026

But in the longer run, the cutting-edge technology would be a positive supply shock, he said, increasing the economy’s capacity to produce more goods and services without necessarily raising prices.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 16, 2026

This could reduce unnecessary follow-up observations while increasing the chances of detecting rare jet-launching episodes at crucial moments.

From Science Daily ● Oct. 16, 2026

When you are the frog in the pot, you sometimes congratulate yourself for surviving the heat, failing to notice the temperature increasing.

From "Not Nothing" by Gayle Forman

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Related Words

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