grow on
Britishverb
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Also, grow upon.
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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]
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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.
"Fast and easy recognition should make it easier... for companies to grow on an EU scale," Veugelers said.
From Barron's • Mar. 18, 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
Green wrote that he has a rare genetic condition called neurofibromatosis type 2, which has caused tumors to grow on his spinal cord.
From Los Angeles Times • Dec. 9, 2025
Shock has quickly shifted to anger in Hong Kong, as questions grow on who should be held accountable for the blaze.
From BBC • Nov. 28, 2025
He leans against the fountain, letting a slow, lazy smile grow on his mouth.
From "The Cruel Prince" by Holly Black
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Definitions 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.