boost

American  

[boost] / bust /

verb (used with object)

1. to lift or raise by pushing from behind or below.

2. to advance or aid by speaking well of; promote.

   She always boosts her hometown.

3. to increase; raise.

   to boost prices;

   to boost the horsepower of the car by 20 percent.

4. to administer a booster shot to.

   Have you and your family been boosted yet?

5. Slang. to steal, especially to shoplift.

   Two computers were boosted from the office last night.

---

verb (used without object)

1. Slang. to engage in stealing, especially shoplifting.

noun

1. an upward shove or raise; lift.

2. an increase; rise.

   There's been a tremendous boost in food prices.

   Synonyms:

   uptick, upswing, upsurge, growth, hike

3. an act, remark, or the like, that helps one's progress, morale, efforts, etc..

   His pep talk was the boost our team needed.

boost British  

/ buːst /

noun

1. encouragement, improvement, or help

   a boost to morale

2. an upward thrust or push

   he gave him a boost over the wall

3. an increase or rise

   a boost in salary

4. a publicity campaign; promotion

5. the amount by which the induction pressure of a supercharged internal-combustion engine exceeds that of the ambient pressure

---

verb

1. to encourage, assist, or improve

   to boost morale

2. to lift by giving a push from below or behind

3. to increase or raise

   to boost the voltage in an electrical circuit

4. to cause to rise; increase

   to boost sales

5. to advertise on a big scale

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

boost Scientific  

/ bo̅o̅st /

1. 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.

---

Etymology

Origin of boost

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

Example Sentences

Quantum transport simulations confirmed that the ordered structure reduces electron trapping and scattering, offering a clear explanation for the observed performance boost.

From Science Daily • Apr. 4, 2026

Realistic images can reduce a retailer’s return rates, and if an item is what a shopper wants, it can boost sales, he said.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 4, 2026

But many of Europe's governments are indebted, cash-strapped and faced with numerous, competing priorities - such as how to maintain welfare and boost defence spending to the levels promised to US President Donald Trump.

From BBC • Apr. 3, 2026

Department of Veterans Affairs and both Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, two federally sponsored companies, guarantee privately issued mortgages as a way to boost more plentiful and cheaper lending for American homebuyers.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 3, 2026

I walk around the tree, look for knots, and remember how Charlie used to boost me up to them.

From "Please Ignore Vera Dietz" by A.S. King

Related Words

• addition
• advance
• breakthrough
• expansion
• hike
• improvement
• increment
• jump
• lift
• rise