increase

[verb in-krees; noun in-krees]

SEE MORE SYNONYMS FOR increase ON THESAURUS.COM

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.

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

Related formsin·creas·a·ble, adjectivein·creas·ed·ly

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

Synonyms for increase

SEE MORE SYNONYMS FOR increase ON THESAURUS.COM

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.

Antonyms for increase

1, 3. decrease.

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

Related Words for increased

heightened, expanded, elevated

Examples from the Web for increased

Contemporary Examples of increased

With all that said, representation of each of these respective communities has increased in the new Congress.
The Unbearable Whiteness of Congress
Dean Obeidallah
January 8, 2015
The need for increased community policing is more urgent than ever before.
How to Solve the Policing Crisis
Keli Goff
January 5, 2015
All of these increased barriers then have a snowball effect.
Random Hook-Ups or Dry Spells: Why Millennials Flunk College Dating
Ellie Schaack
January 1, 2015
U.S.-led coalition airstrikes recently have been increased on Raqqa.
Did ISIS Shoot Down a Fighter Jet?
Jamie Dettmer, Christopher Dickey
December 24, 2014
Indeed, it's unclear what, if any, benefits the average Cuban will reap from increased diplomacy between the two countries.
Castro's Hipster Apologists Want to Keep Cuba ‘Authentically’ Poor
Michael Moynihan
December 18, 2014

Historical Examples of increased

The expected conference is over: but my difficulties are increased.
Clarissa, Volume 1 (of 9)
Samuel Richardson
This increased his astonishment, and did not lessen the gloom on his face.
Ester Ried Yet Speaking
Isabella Alden
On the contrary, it increased in some measure his respect for her as one of his own kind.
Within the Law
Marvin Dana
Since then we have greatly diminished the iron and increased the copper.
Scientific American Supplement, No. 433, April 19, 1884
Various
He had increased also the amount of money that he periodically sent East.
K
Mary Roberts Rinehart

British Dictionary definitions for increased

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 increased

increase

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

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.