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.
-
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)
-
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
-
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
-
boostsimple
-
boostssimple
-
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
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
Higher Learning: Synonyms For "Up"
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
"Laws are not the only way to boost immunization”: an editorial from Nature
Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!
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:
Skubal, whom they acquired at the trade deadline to boost their chances at a World Series title, is set to hit free agency.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 16, 2026
If he can give the Dodgers a boost Thursday, however, if he can extend their season just one more day, it could give the team new life.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 15, 2026
Official data released Wednesday showed China's exports continued their historic surge, providing a much-needed boost to the economy.
From Barron's ● Oct. 15, 2026
Alcoa reported an increase in profit and sales in the recent quarter, as the company worked to improve operations and boost production.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 15, 2026
Besides, the sight of them did give him an adrenaline boost.
From "Dry" by Neal Shusterman and Jarrod Shusterman
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
This is good, although competition for credit also boosts mortgage rates.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 4, 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
Dell Technologies’ valuation is almost four times what it was a year ago, boosted by a projected 70% increase in revenue for its current fiscal year.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 16, 2026
On Tesla's website, interested customers can reserve a "Performance" Roadster model or a "Thrust" model, with boosted thrusters.
From Barron's ● Oct. 16, 2026
In other words, more human time and attention boosted understanding.
From Slate ● Oct. 16, 2026
The data boosted the perceived odds of another Federal Reserve interest-rate hike later this month, but bond investors didn’t seem to care.
From MarketWatch ● Oct. 15, 2026
“What happens when the power gets boosted all the way—when the messages are sent at full strength?”
From "The Mysterious Benedict Society" by Trenton Lee Stewart
The researchers next wanted to determine whether boosting this fat-burning process could improve immune cells' ability to attack human colorectal cancer.
From Science Daily ● Oct. 16, 2026
But in the longer run, the technology would be a positive supply shock, he said, raising the economy’s capacity to produce more goods and services without necessarily boosting inflation.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 16, 2026
Bondi’s memo also threw shade by implication at the use of human translators, while boosting A.I.:
From Slate ● Oct. 16, 2026
Created by brothers André and Édouard Michelin in 1900, the guide was originally designed to encourage motorists to travel - ultimately boosting their core business of selling tyres.
From BBC ● Oct. 14, 2026
“We’re boosting pressure, and the cable mast has been removed.”
From "Fallout: Spies, Superbombs, and the Ultimate Cold War Showdown" by Steve Sheinkin
Random Word
Spin the wheel and learn a new word!
Get a wordDefinitions 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.
