increase
Americanverb (used with object)
verb (used without object)
noun
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growth or augmentation in numbers, size, strength, quality, etc..
the increase of crime.
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the act or process of increasing.
- Synonyms:
- expansion, enlargement
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that by which something is increased.
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the result of increasing.
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produce of the earth.
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product; profit; interest.
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Obsolete.
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multiplication by propagation; production of offspring.
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offspring; progeny.
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verb
noun
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the act of increasing; augmentation
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the amount by which something increases
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increasing, esp becoming more frequent
Usage
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.
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
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increasernoun
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nonincreasenoun
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preincreasenoun
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superincreasenoun
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reincreaseverb
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preincreaseverb (used with object)
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superincreaseverb (used with object)
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increasableadjective
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nonincreasableadjective
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proincreaseadjective
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quasi-increasedadjective
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unincreasableadjective
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unincreasedadjective
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increasedlyadverb
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
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increasesimple
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increasessimple
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have increasedperfect
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has increasedperfect
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am increasingprogressive
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are increasingprogressive
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is increasingprogressive
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have been increasingperfect progressive
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has been increasingperfect progressive
Past
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increasedsimple
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had increasedperfect
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was increasingprogressive
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were increasingprogressive
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had been increasingperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of increase
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”; see crescent
Explanation
The noun increase indicates growth of something that gets bigger in number or volume. When used as a verb, it means the act of growing or gaining more. However it's used, it refers to something that has gotten bigger. Anything that can add on can increase. You can increase your speed to go faster, increase your strength by working out, increase your knowledge by studying, and increase your circle of friends by meeting more people. You can work harder to see an increase of profits, and you can prevent an increase in your electric bill by turning out unnecessary lights. And now you’ve increased your vocabulary by learning a new word!
Vocabulary lists containing increase
"Siberian Survivors" and "Tigers in the Wild"
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Arithmetic, List 1
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Unit 17, Lesson 2
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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:
Another factor that can increase the cost of graduation is buying an official photograph, with providers specified by your university, adds Allingham.
From BBC ● Jul. 24, 2026
Friday’s stock decline shows Wall Street was hoping for growth to increase even more, he said.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 24, 2026
The researchers found rent expenses tend to increase after age 80 or 85, potentially because retirees sell their homes and move into rental housing or enter assisted-living or long-term-care facilities.
From MarketWatch ● Jul. 24, 2026
That was still a 10% increase compared to the year before, but Nichols said that from his analysis, that rise could be more attributed to hotels raising their rates, and not because of more occupants.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 24, 2026
“The World’s Fair is, of course, of great interest to our readers. Have you seen an increase in meat sales since the Fair began?”
From "The City Beautiful" by Aden Polydoros
"As cities expand and food waste increases, humans and raccoons cross paths more often," said Dr Idil Galip, digital culture researcher at the University of Amsterdam.
From BBC ● Jul. 24, 2026
The pattern is similar for higher-income, higher-wealth households, although the increases are less dramatic.
From MarketWatch ● Jul. 24, 2026
Because a lower operating ratio indicates a more efficient and profitable operation, the increases signal higher costs relative to revenue.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 24, 2026
“Summer increases in COVID-19 activity have occurred yearly since 2020, so it is not unexpected to see more activity at this time,” state health officials said.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 24, 2026
Just like a computer, we must remember things in the order in which entropy increases.
From "A Brief History of Time: And Other Essays" by Stephen Hawking
Since mid-May, the number of cases tracked by the CDC has increased to more than 11,000 across 41 states.
From BBC ● Jul. 24, 2026
Its principal task was to show that the gravitational pull of the sun increased the wavelength of light rays, the so-called red shift, which would help verify Einstein’s theory of relativity.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 24, 2026
Yet in the face of that constraint — and despite the fact that the company is shifting capacity from personal-computer CPUs to server CPUs — client revenue still substantially increased from the prior-year quarter.
From MarketWatch ● Jul. 24, 2026
Over time, this can cause loss of strength, increased scarring, fat buildup within muscle tissue, and a decline in fast twitch fibers, which support rapid and powerful movements.
From Science Daily ● Jul. 24, 2026
His skill in dressing these common-sense predictions up in astrological mumbo jumbo not only established his reputation in Graz, but got his salary increased to the full level appropriate for his post.
From "The Scientists" by John Gribbin
But Fury fighting a heavyweight bout without a live broadcast and for the benefit of a Netflix series underlines how much boxing's landscape is changing - and the platform's increasing dominance in the sport.
From BBC ● Jul. 24, 2026
Bank of America rose after increasing its quarterly dividend 14% to 32 cents a share.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 24, 2026
It argued that open weights would expand access to AI, promoting more use cases and increasing innovation.
From MarketWatch ● Jul. 24, 2026
Looking ahead to the Olympics, Nichols said he thinks policymakers should be wary of increasing taxes and pay attention to how international tourists will respond to price hikes.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 24, 2026
He taxied away without looking back and as soon as he was clear of the reeds he gunned the engine, increasing speed until the plane was roaring across the lake.
From "The River" by Gary Paulsen
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.
