increase

[in-krees, in-krees]

verb (used with object)

increased, increasing 

1. to make greater, as in number, size, strength, or quality; augment; add to.

   to increase taxes.

   Synonyms: prolong, extend, expand
   Antonyms: decrease

verb (used without object)

increased, increasing 

1. to become greater, as in number, size, strength, or quality.

   Sales of automobiles increased last year.

   Antonyms: wane, lessen, contract, abate, decrease

2. to multiply by propagation.

   Synonyms: swell, grow, expand, propagate, propagate

3. to wax, as the moon.

noun

1. growth or augmentation in numbers, size, strength, quality, etc..

   the increase of crime.

2. the act or process of increasing.

   Synonyms: expansion, enlargement

3. that by which something is increased.

4. the result of increasing.

5. produce of the earth.

6. product; profit; interest.

7. Obsolete.

   1. multiplication by propagation; production of offspring.

   2. offspring; progeny.

increase

/ ɪnˈkriːsɪdlɪ /

verb

1. to make or become greater in size, degree, frequency, etc; grow or expand

noun

1. the act of increasing; augmentation

2. the amount by which something increases

3. increasing, esp becoming more frequent

Other Word Forms

• increasable adjective
• increasedly adverb
• nonincreasable adjective
• nonincrease noun
• preincrease verb (used with object)
• proincrease adjective
• quasi-increased adjective
• reincrease verb
• superincrease noun
• unincreasable adjective
• unincreased adjective
• increaser noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of increase¹

First recorded in 1370–1395; Middle English incresen, encresen, from Anglo-French encres-, Middle French encreis(s)-, stem of encreistre, from Latin incrēscere, equivalent to in- in- ² + crēscere “to grow”; crescent

Word History and Origins

Origin of increase¹

C14: from Old French encreistre, from Latin incrēscere, from _in- ² + crēscere to grow

Example Sentences

It requires large stores to increase the number of employees relative to self-checkout stands and also puts a limit on the number of items and types of goods that can be rung up at self-checkout.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

In May, a First Brands affiliate stopped making monthly payments to Onset, which then demanded several hundred million dollars of late fees and payment increases.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

"The location will host a contingent of Qatari F-15s and pilots to enhance our combined training" as well as "increase lethality, interoperability," he said.

Read more on Barron's

For years, scientists have warned that the risk of damaging floods is dramatically increased after intense wildfires, as rain struggles to permeate the burnt-out forest floor and flows encounter little resistance from the remaining vegetation.

Read more on Barron's

They said France has seen increased drone overflights of military installations, industrial sites and other sensitive locations over the past few weeks, but authorities are unsure who is controlling them.

Read more on Barron's

Related Words

• advance 
• boost 
• broaden 
• build 
• build up 
• deepen 
• develop 
• double 
• enhance 
• enlarge 
• escalate 
• expand 
• extend 
• further 
• heighten 
• intensify 
• multiply 
• raise 
• reinforce 
• rise 

When To Use

What does increase mean?

To increase is to become greater or more in number, amount, size, or in some other way, as in Our profits will increase as demand increases.As a verb, increase is also used in an active way in which someone or something is doing the increasing, as in I’m going to increase my hours at work or These sunglasses increase visibility.Increase can also be used as a noun referring to a rise or growth in something, as in We are experiencing an increase in applicants.It can also refer to the amount by which something has increased, as in The increase was $5,000 per year.The words increased and increasing can both be used as adjectives, as in an increased appetite or increasing sales.The opposite of increase as both a verb and a noun is decrease.Example: My boss increased my workload, which led to an increase in stress.