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grow on

British  

verb

  1. (intr, preposition) to become progressively more acceptable or pleasant to

    I don't think much of your new record, but I suppose it will grow on me

"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

grow on Idioms  
  1. Also, grow upon.

  2. Gradually become more evident. For example, A feeling of distrust grew upon him as he learned more about the way the account was handled . [c. 1600]

  3. Gradually become more pleasurable or acceptable to, as in This music is beginning to grow on me . Jane Austen had it in Pride and Prejudice (1796): “Miss Bennet's pleasing manners grew on the good-will of Mrs. Hurst.” [c. 1700]


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.

California State Preschool Program, which serves 11% of 3-year-olds based largely on income eligibility, met six of the 10 benchmarks with room to grow on teacher degree requirements, professional development and class size limits.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 22, 2026

Biofilms are the thin layers of bacteria that commonly grow on rocks, pond surfaces, and even human-made structures.

From Science Daily • Feb. 11, 2026

Next week, the House of Lords is set to vote on proposals for a ban, which, if passed, could see pressure grow on the government.

From BBC • Jan. 15, 2026

Revenue from Telekom Malaysia’s wholesale business arm, TM Global, could grow on quarter from bandwidth deals and initial 5G backhaul contributions, the analyst adds.

From The Wall Street Journal • Nov. 14, 2025

“I’d eliminate children altogether, if I could! But I suppose new people have to come from somewhere. They don’t grow on trees, eh?”

From "The Interrupted Tale" by Maryrose Wood

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