boost
Americanverb (used with object)
-
boosts,
present (3rd person singular)
-
boosted,
past participle, past
-
boosting
present participle
-
to lift or raise by pushing from behind or below.
-
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)
-
boosts,
present (3rd person singular)
-
boosted,
past participle, past
-
boosting
present participle
noun
-
encouragement, improvement, or help
a boost to morale
-
an upward thrust or push
he gave him a boost over the wall
-
an increase or rise
a boost in salary
-
a publicity campaign; promotion
-
the amount by which the induction pressure of a supercharged internal-combustion engine exceeds that of the ambient pressure
verb
-
to encourage, assist, or improve
to boost morale
-
to lift by giving a push from below or behind
-
to increase or raise
to boost the voltage in an electrical circuit
-
to cause to rise; increase
to boost sales
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to advertise on a big scale
-
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
-
has boostedperfect
-
am boostingprogressive
-
are boostingprogressive
-
is boostingprogressive
-
have been boostingperfect progressive
-
has been boostingperfect progressive
Past
-
boostedsimple
-
had boostedperfect
-
was boostingprogressive
-
were boostingprogressive
-
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:
Energy companies could increasingly look to drill offshore Europe as the continent seeks to boost its supply security following the latest global shocks, Eni’s ENI 0.17%increase; green up pointing triangle operations chief said.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 27, 2026
The Daily Express says end-of-life care bosses want the Budget to include funding for a "once-in-a-generation boost for services".
From BBC ● Oct. 27, 2026
A recent pullback in bond yields has delivered an added boost by making the dividends these stocks pay out more attractive in comparison.
From MarketWatch ● Oct. 26, 2026
The film is also expected to hit dozens of international markets in the coming weeks, which is expected to boost its box office revenue.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 26, 2026
Very strange hearing him acknowledge it, and it’s a bit of a morale boost to see he still cares.
From "Odd One Out" by Nic Stone
But it could be due to the fact that massage reduces muscle stiffness, improves circulation and boosts relaxation.
From Science Daily ● Oct. 14, 2026
Fastly rises after Oppenheimer upgrades shares to Outperform, citing anticipated revenue boosts from AI agent traffic and Grand Theft Auto VI.
From Barron's ● Oct. 9, 2026
The squeeze could become more acute if colder weather boosts Asian heating demand.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 9, 2026
"By changing the land to suit their needs, they can change it in such a way that boosts biodiversity and increases resilience in terms of climate change," Bowen added.
From BBC ● Sep. 9, 2026
“What happens when the Sender boosts the power?”
From "The Mysterious Benedict Society" by Trenton Lee Stewart
Mary Coleman comes in at prop as a result, while England are boosted by captain Jodie Cunningham overcoming an ear injury suffered last week to be named on the bench.
From BBC ● Oct. 27, 2026
The reading was boosted by a 2.3 percent rise in exports, "led by semiconductors, machinery and electrical equipment", the BOK said.
From Barron's ● Oct. 27, 2026
Verizon Communications boosted its 2026 earnings projection amid postpaid subscriber growth.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 26, 2026
Instead, consumer spending picked up and businesses boosted investment.
From MarketWatch ● Oct. 23, 2026
Oh, but it did unsettle the matrons of Bethlehem to see the poor thing boosted into a class ahead of their own children, there to become dazzling slick-quick at mathematics.
From "The Poisonwood Bible" by Barbara Kingsolver
Each one assigned supporters a specific task aimed at boosting Lula's visibility on social media.
From BBC ● Oct. 26, 2026
The Buckeye Bulletin’s Facebook and Instagram accounts have spent just over $10,000 boosting posts this year, according to Meta’s ad library.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 25, 2026
GM has benefited from its lineup of trucks and its resistance to boosting discounts, according to analysts.
From MarketWatch ● Oct. 20, 2026
However, there is a strong case for this as there are multiple ways exercise might support the brain: improving cardiovascular health, increasing blood flow and boosting chemicals that promote brain-cell connections.
From Science Daily ● Oct. 19, 2026
To Russell and Piper McNab, it was a case of boosting their importance ever higher in the eyes of the other kids.
From "Maniac Magee" by Jerry Spinelli
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Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
