boost

[ boost ]

/ bust /

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See synonyms for: boost / boosted / boosting on Thesaurus.com

verb (used with object)

to lift or raise by pushing from behind or below.

to advance or aid by speaking well of; promote: She always boosts her hometown.

to increase; raise: to boost prices;to boost the horsepower of the car by 20 percent.

to administer a booster shot to: Have you and your family been boosted yet?

Slang. to steal, especially to shoplift: Two computers were boosted from the office last night.

verb (used without object)

Slang. to engage in stealing, especially shoplifting.

noun

an upward shove or raise; lift.

an increase; rise: There's been a tremendous boost in food prices.

an act, remark, or the like, that helps one's progress, morale, efforts, etc.: His pep talk was the boost our team needed.

OTHER WORDS FOR boost

8 hike, growth, upsurge, upswing, uptick.

See synonyms for boost on Thesaurus.com

QUIZ

CAN YOU ANSWER THESE COMMON GRAMMAR DEBATES?

There are grammar debates that never die; and the ones highlighted in the questions in this quiz are sure to rile everyone up once again. Do you know how to answer the questions that cause some of the greatest grammar debates?

Question 1 of 7

Which sentence is correct?

His boss, whom he admires, is waiting to meet with him about the big project.

His boss, who he admires, is waiting to meet with him about the big project.

TAKE THE QUIZ TO FIND OUT

Origin of boost

An Americanism dating back to 1815–25; perhaps Scots dialect boose (variant of pouss push) + (hoi)st

Words nearby boost

boongary, boonies, boor, boorish, booshit, boost, booster, booster cable, booster dose, boosterish, boosterism

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

How to use boost in a sentence

Whichever teammate happens to be slower on the climb will get a boost from their faster teammate, and the two of them will both reach the summit at the faster teammate’s time.
Can You Reach The Summit First?|Zach Wissner-Gross|September 11, 2020|FiveThirtyEight
Think to yourself whether a particular article seems too good to be true, and seek out multiple reputable sources before giving it a signal boost.
American Fringes: How the Media Makes it Worse|Nick Fouriezos|September 7, 2020|Ozy
Still, O’Brien has enjoyed a boost in funding and attention since the second round of unrest.
As Trump Calls for Law and Order, Can Chicago’s Top Prosecutor Beat the Charge That She’s Soft on Crime?|by Mick Dumke|September 4, 2020|ProPublica
HBO Max’s ad-supported tier, slated to debut next year, would seem poised to give Xandr a boost.
As AT&T considers downsizing its media business, whither WarnerMedia?|Tim Peterson|September 2, 2020|Digiday

The boost lifted the chief executive officer’s fortune to almost $22 billion, according to the Bloomberg Billionaires Index.
Zoom CEO’s wealth jumps by $5.2 billion following surge in quarterly revenue|radmarya|September 1, 2020|Fortune
Prepare for takeoff, because quality vacation time will certainly boost your mood.
9 Ways to Cope With Seasonal Affective Disorder|DailyBurn|December 5, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Unz also notes that a higher minimum wage would discourage illegal immigration and boost consumer spending.
To Make Their Victory Durable, the GOP Must Fix the Minimum Wage|Dmitri Mehlhorn|November 6, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Increasingly, adding solar power to the top of factories can help boost the bottom line.
Charging Up|The Daily Beast|October 28, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Firstly, there's the offensive notion that New York needs an ad campaign to boost tourism.
New York Is Taylor Swift’s New Boyfriend|Amy Zimmerman|October 28, 2014|DAILY BEAST
And while everyone benefits from gardens, they can provide an extra boost for kids with special needs.
Magical Gardens for the Blind, Deaf, and Disabled|Elizabeth Picciuto|October 22, 2014|DAILY BEAST
For skilful attempts to convert a knock into a boost, commend us to the discredited nostrum exploiter.
The Propaganda for Reform in Proprietary Medicines, Vol. 1 of 2|Various
In that case, we will have to turn in and88 give the fellow what you Americans call a boost.
Wayside Courtships|Hamlin Garland
"Then you'll have to boost the buggy-wheels, that's all," answered Jim.
Dorothy and the Wizard in Oz|L. Frank Baum
Too beaten to bite they could only boost one against another like two schoolboys trying to push one another off a form.
The Beach of Dreams|H. De Vere Stacpoole
I drag Vandeleur in a helpless condition out on the balcony, boost him up on the railing, and push him off.
Belford's Magazine, Vol. II, No. 3, February 1889|Various

British Dictionary definitions for boost

boost

/ (buːst) /

noun

encouragement, improvement, or helpa boost to morale

an upward thrust or pushhe gave him a boost over the wall

an increase or risea 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 (tr)

to encourage, assist, or improveto boost morale

to lift by giving a push from below or behind

to increase or raiseto boost the voltage in an electrical circuit

to cause to rise; increaseto boost sales

to advertise on a big scale

to increase the induction pressure of (an internal-combustion engine) above that of the ambient pressure; supercharge

Word Origin for boost

C19: of unknown origin

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Scientific definitions for boost

boost

[ bōōst ]

A linear map from one reference frame to another in which each coordinate is increased or decreased by an independent constant or linear function. A boost corresponds to a shift of the entire coordinate system without any rotation of its axes.

boost

OTHER WORDS FOR boost

Origin of boost

Words nearby boost

Words related to boost

How to use boost in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for boost

Word Origin for boost

Scientific definitions for boost