Showing results for "increasing"

• present participle of increase.

increasing

American  

[in-kree-sing] / ɪnˈkri sɪŋ /

adjective

1. growing larger or greater; enlarging; augmenting.

2. Mathematics. (of a function) having the property that for any two points in the domain such that one is larger than the other, the image of the larger point is greater than or equal to the image of the smaller point; nondecreasing.

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Usage

What does increasing mean? Increasing is an adjective that means growing or rising—becoming greater or more in number, amount, size, or in some other way. It comes from the continuous tense (-ing form) of the verb increase, which means to become greater or more in number, amount, size, or in some other way, as in Our profits will increase as demand increases. The word increased can also be used as an adjective to describe things that have risen or grown, as in an increased appetite. Example: The increasing value of the dollar.

Other Word Forms

• unincreasing
  adjective
• increasingly
  adverb

Etymology

Origin of increasing

First recorded in 1590–1600; see origin at increase, -ing ²

Explanation

Increasing means getting bigger or expanding. You'll be glad to have an increasing income, but perhaps less glad to have an increasing pants size. The adjective increasing describes anything that grows or becomes greater. Increasing volume from your neighbor's radio will drive you crazy, since it's getting louder and louder. If your tiny school attracts increasing numbers of new students, it's likely that new teachers will need to be hired. Increasing comes from the verb increase, or grow, with its Latin root word, increscere, "to grow upon, grow over, swell, or grow into."

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

increasing

Planting more drought-tolerant species, improving soil health and increasing tree cover and shade can also make gardens more resilient in the years ahead.

From BBC ● Jul. 25, 2026

Looking ahead to the Olympics, Nichols said he thinks policymakers should be wary of increasing taxes and pay attention to how international tourists will respond to price hikes.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 24, 2026

Regeneron’s flagship eye drug, Eylea, which has preserved the sight of millions of people with a common cause of blindness and generated roughly 80% of the company’s revenue at its peak, is facing increasing competition.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 24, 2026

It argued that open weights would expand access to AI, promoting more use cases and increasing innovation.

From MarketWatch ● Jul. 24, 2026

“The brutal fact is that we have been losing ground at an increasing rate,” McNamara warned in a memo soon after Rolling Thunder began.

From "Most Dangerous: Daniel Ellsberg and the Secret History of the Vietnam War" by Steve Sheinkin

Related Words

• accelerating
• deepening
• escalating
• growing
• intensifying