increasing

American  

[in-kree-sing] / ɪnˈkri sɪŋ /

adjective

1. growing larger or greater; enlarging; augmenting.

2. Mathematics. (of a function) having the property that for any two points in the domain such that one is larger than the other, the image of the larger point is greater than or equal to the image of the smaller point; nondecreasing.

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Usage

What does increasing mean? Increasing is an adjective that means growing or rising—becoming greater or more in number, amount, size, or in some other way.It comes from the continuous tense (-ing form) of the verb increase, which means to become greater or more in number, amount, size, or in some other way, as in Our profits will increase as demand increases.The word increased can also be used as an adjective to describe things that have risen or grown, as in an increased appetite.Example: The increasing value of the dollar.

Other Word Forms

• increasingly adverb
• unincreasing adjective

Etymology

Origin of increasing

First recorded in 1590–1600; increase, -ing ²

Example Sentences

A solution would be to change the ratio so it was more in favour of the internal combustion engine, by increasing the fuel-flow rate.

From BBC • Apr. 3, 2026

While these systems have enabled global connectivity, they are running into growing challenges such as crowded radio frequencies, signal interference in busy indoor environments, and increasing energy demands as more devices come online.

From Science Daily • Apr. 2, 2026

Gasoline prices have reached $4 a gallon, the highest since 2022, with oil rising due to the Iran war, increasing over 30% in one month.

From Barron's • Apr. 2, 2026

This means vessels are doing double-duty with increasing risk of breakdowns.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 2, 2026

We explored each planet, in order of increasing distance from the sun: Mercury, Venus, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Neptune, and Pluto.

From "Breaking Through" by Francisco Jiménez

Related Words

• accelerating
• deepening
• escalating
• growing
• intensifying