increase

[ verb in-krees; noun in-krees ]

/ verb ɪnˈkris; noun ˈɪn kris /

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verb (used with object), in·creased, in·creas·ing.

to make greater, as in number, size, strength, or quality; augment; add to: to increase taxes.

verb (used without object), in·creased, in·creas·ing.

to become greater, as in number, size, strength, or quality: Sales of automobiles increased last year.

to multiply by propagation.

to wax, as the moon.

noun

growth or augmentation in numbers, size, strength, quality, etc.: the increase of crime.

the act or process of increasing.

that by which something is increased.

the result of increasing.

produce of the earth.

product; profit; interest.

Obsolete.

multiplication by propagation; production of offspring.
offspring; progeny.

Nearby words

incorruptible, incorruption, incoterms, incr., incrassate, increase, increaser, increasing, increasingly, increate, incredible

Origin of increase

1275–1325; Middle English incresen, encresen < Anglo-French encres-, Middle French encreiss-, stem of encreistre < Latin incrēscere, equivalent to in- in-² + crēscere to grow; see crescent

SYNONYMS FOR increase

1 expand, extend, prolong. Increase, augment, enlarge may all mean to make larger. To increase means to make greater, as in quantity, extent, degree: to increase someone's salary; to increase the velocity; to increase the ( degree of ) concentration. Enlarge means to make greater in size, extent, or range: to enlarge a building, a business, one's conceptions. Augment, a more formal word, means to make greater, especially by addition from the outside: to augment one's income ( by doing extra work ).

3 expand, grow, develop, swell.

6 enlargement, expansion.

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ANTONYMS FOR increase

1, 3 decrease.

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Related forms

in·creas·a·ble, adjectivein·creas·ed·ly

[in-kree-sid-lee] /ɪnˈkri sɪd li/, adverbnon·in·creas·a·ble, adjectivenon·in·crease, noun

pre·in·crease, nounpre·in·crease, verb (used with object), pre·in·creased, pre·in·creas·ing.pro·in·crease, adjectivequa·si-in·creased, adjectivere·in·crease, verb, re·in·creased, re·in·creas·ing, nounsu·per·in·crease, verb (used with object), su·per·in·creased, su·per·in·creas·ing.su·per·in·crease, nounun·in·creas·a·ble, adjectiveun·in·creased, adjective

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Examples from the Web for increase

Industry experts claim an increase in awareness amongst men when it comes to styles, design, and price regarding their underwear.
Would You Pay $100 For a 50 Cent Bulge? Men’s Undies Get Expensive|James Joiner|December 23, 2014|DAILY BEAST
In Kentucky the bourbon distillers have had to increase their payrolls by 77 per cent in two years to meet the demand.
Beer Countries vs. Wine Countries|Clive Irving|December 7, 2014|DAILY BEAST
In exchange for the increase in sales, the dispensaries pay the service, not the consumer.
Days Are Numbered for Nestdrop, LA’s ‘Uber for Weed’|Justin Hampton|December 6, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Both give estimates of how many U.S. workers would benefit from an increase in the minimum wage.
Staving Off a Democratic Civil War|Michael Tomasky|December 2, 2014|DAILY BEAST

However, Driscoll is not alone among evangelicals wanting to improve their brand and increase sales.
How the Religious Right Scams Its Way Onto the New York Times Bestseller List|Warren Throckmorton|November 16, 2014|DAILY BEAST
This increase was excessive and altogether unnecessary to the maintenance of thorough and progressive government.
Appletons' Popular Science Monthly, May, 1900|Various
To increase the efficiency of the cavalry extensive manœuvres were organised.
Sir John French|Cecil Chisholm
Ismar, wishing to give his body a splendid funeral, prepared a banquet of royal bounty to increase the splendour of the obsequies.
The Danish History, Books I-IX|Saxo Grammaticus ("Saxo the Learned")
These conditions must increase the earth's equatorial bulge and thereby cause changes in the distribution of land and water.
Climatic Changes|Ellsworth Huntington
A hummingbird or two was not an uncommon sight along the trail at any time, but now we began to notice an increase in numbers.
Jungle Peace|William Beebe

British Dictionary definitions for increase

increase

verb (ɪnˈkriːs)

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

noun (ˈɪnkriːs)

the act of increasing; augmentation

the amount by which something increases

on the increase increasing, esp becoming more frequent

Derived Formsincreasable, adjectiveincreasedly (ɪnˈkriːsɪdlɪ) or increasingly, adverbincreaser, noun

Word Origin for increase

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

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

Word Origin and History for increase (1 of 2)

increase

early 14c., "become greater in size or number; to cause to grow, enlarge," from Anglo-French encress-, Old French encreiss-, present participle stem of encreistre, from Latin increscere "to increase, to grow upon, grow over, swell, grow into," from in- "in" (see in- (2)) + crescere "to grow" (see crescent). Latin spelling restored 15c. Related: Increased; increasing.

Word Origin and History for increase (1 of 2)

increase

late 14c., "action of increasing; results of an increasing," from increase (v.).

increase

verb (used with object), in·creased, in·creas·ing.

verb (used without object), in·creased, in·creas·ing.

noun

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Nearby words

Origin of increase

Examples from the Web for increase

British Dictionary definitions for increase

increase

verb (ɪnˈkriːs)

noun (ˈɪnkriːs)

Word Origin for increase

Word Origin and History for increase (1 of 2)

increase

Word Origin and History for increase (1 of 2)

increase