growing

American  

[groh-ing] / ˈgroʊ ɪŋ /

adjective

1. becoming greater in quantity, size, extent, or intensity.

   growing discontent among industrial workers.

2. having or showing life.

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Other Word Forms

• growingly adverb
• ungrowing adjective

Etymology

Origin of growing

First recorded before 900; Middle English; Old English growende. See grow, -ing ²

Explanation

A growing thing (or person) is in the process of developing, often by getting bigger. You can argue for a second helping of cake by saying, "I'm a growing kid!" Your puppy is a growing animal, changing and developing into an adult dog, and your cactus is a growing plant, even if the only evidence of that growth is one pink bloom each year. You can also use this adjective for things that increase, like your growing bank account or your growing interest in woodworking. As a noun, growing means the biological process of change and development itself: "Growing isn't always easy, but we all have to do it."

Example Sentences

The market was growing fast, leverage was opaque and connections back to the regulated banks were harder to see.

From MarketWatch • Apr. 22, 2026

The development sharpens the rivalry between Google’s custom semiconductor business and market leader Nvidia, as growing use of agentic AI brings a surge in demand for faster, more energy-efficient chips.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 22, 2026

The study adds to growing evidence that the so-called Neolithic decline affected large parts of northern and western Europe, extending beyond Scandinavia and northern Germany.

From Science Daily • Apr. 22, 2026

“I’m biracial and growing up in Boston, I’m just Black,” he said.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 22, 2026

“But I thought we might put them back in shape. Don’t you think released prisoners might find therapy in growing things?”

From "The Hiding Place" by Corrie ten Boom

Related Words

• burgeoning
• developing
• expanding
• flourishing
• spreading
• thriving
• viable