boost
Americanverb (used with object)
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to lift or raise by pushing from behind or below.
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to advance or aid by speaking well of; promote.
She always boosts her hometown.
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to boost prices;
to boost the horsepower of the car by 20 percent.
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to administer a booster shot to.
Have you and your family been boosted yet?
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Slang. to steal, especially to shoplift.
Two computers were boosted from the office last night.
verb (used without object)
noun
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encouragement, improvement, or help
a boost to morale
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an upward thrust or push
he gave him a boost over the wall
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an increase or rise
a boost in salary
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a publicity campaign; promotion
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the amount by which the induction pressure of a supercharged internal-combustion engine exceeds that of the ambient pressure
verb
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to encourage, assist, or improve
to boost morale
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to lift by giving a push from below or behind
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to increase or raise
to boost the voltage in an electrical circuit
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to cause to rise; increase
to boost sales
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to advertise on a big scale
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to increase the induction pressure of (an internal-combustion engine) above that of the ambient pressure; supercharge
Other Word Forms
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
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boostsimple
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boostssimple
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have boostedperfect
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has boostedperfect
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am boostingprogressive
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are boostingprogressive
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is boostingprogressive
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have been boostingperfect progressive
-
has been boostingperfect progressive
Past
-
boostedsimple
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had boostedperfect
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was boostingprogressive
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were boostingprogressive
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had been boostingperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of boost
An Americanism dating back to 1815–25; perhaps Scots dialect boose (variant of pouss push ) + (hoi)st
Explanation
Think of the word boost as meaning "help up." Maybe you need a boost getting over a fence (hmm — are you sneaking in or sneaking out?), or maybe you are feeling low and need to boost your spirits — chocolate, anyone? Sometimes words appear that really don't have any clear origins. Boost is one of those words, but it's a fun word, and it's thought that maybe it has some connection to boose, a Scots dialect word that carries the idea of a push. A slang meaning of the word is to sneakily steal, like shoplifting. You gave your cousin a boost into the window, not knowing he was planning on boosting some sneakers.
Vocabulary lists containing boost
Common Five-letter Words for Wordle, List 2
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Higher Learning: Synonyms For "Up"
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"Laws are not the only way to boost immunization”: an editorial from Nature
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
See Examples For:
Assuming the grandparenting role, however, can boost lifespan by enhancing several key longevity factors.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 28, 2026
They mirror some of the areas already targeted by efforts to boost technical education at a national level.
From BBC ● Jul. 28, 2026
In addition to restoring Gucci's sense of exclusivity, the strategy aims to boost leather goods across the whole group.
From Barron's ● Jul. 28, 2026
NASA's Psyche spacecraft completed a highly successful flyby of Mars, giving the mission a carefully planned gravitational boost while also producing valuable scientific data.
From Science Daily ● Jul. 28, 2026
The conference in Las Vegas had been created, among other things, to boost faith in the market.
From "The Big Short" by Michael Lewis
However, its presence "boosts people's morale", he added, leaning on a cane.
From Barron's ● Jul. 28, 2026
Exercise also boosts antioxidant enzymes in the body, which protect cells from damage.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 23, 2026
That’s likely a reference to retailers who have said more daylight in the evening boosts sales.
From MarketWatch ● Jul. 15, 2026
How much this boosts imports will become clearer in the coming months, says Singh, though he sees momentum building ahead of the new terms of trade taking effect.
From BBC ● Jul. 14, 2026
“What happens to her when Mr. Curtain boosts the power all the way? She’s already hearing voices, you know!”
From "The Mysterious Benedict Society" by Trenton Lee Stewart
Orange raised its full-year guidance after it reported higher revenue in the second-quarter mainly boosted by growth in Africa and Middle East, and Europe.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 28, 2026
GTR has added carriages to its busiest commuter services, while South Western Railway has boosted capacity by nearly 30% in the last year with new trains.
From BBC ● Jul. 28, 2026
Domestic package revenue increased 6% to $14.93 billion, boosted by a 9.3% rise in revenue per package.
From MarketWatch ● Jul. 28, 2026
NBCUniversal’s Peacock turns a profit for the first time, boosted by audiences tuning into the World Cup and “Love Island.”
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 27, 2026
It had occurred to him to wonder what would happen to her when Mr. Curtain boosted the signal power all the way.
From "The Mysterious Benedict Society" by Trenton Lee Stewart
The target date for boosting production has slipped from last year to around 2030, an Army spokesman said.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 28, 2026
As the government’s enforcement pushes more local miners into legal channels, PT Timah should gradually recapture these volumes, boosting the Indonesian company’s tin-metal sales over 2026-2028.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 27, 2026
The frenzy of AI investment is boosting inflation for a range of goods — such as consumer electronics — that also require memory and powerful chips.
From MarketWatch ● Jul. 27, 2026
The Home Office said its new deal with France - signed in April - prevents these "perilous journeys by boosting enforcement action on beaches".
From BBC ● Jul. 24, 2026
He tried boosting Ron’s confidence all through dinner, but Ron was too busy being grumpy and surly with Hermione to notice.
From "Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince" by J.K. Rowling
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
