growing
Americanadjective
-
becoming greater in quantity, size, extent, or intensity.
growing discontent among industrial workers.
-
having or showing life.
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of growing
First recorded before 900; Middle English; Old English growende. See grow, -ing 2
Explanation
A growing thing (or person) is in the process of developing, often by getting bigger. You can argue for a second helping of cake by saying, "I'm a growing kid!" Your puppy is a growing animal, changing and developing into an adult dog, and your cactus is a growing plant, even if the only evidence of that growth is one pink bloom each year. You can also use this adjective for things that increase, like your growing bank account or your growing interest in woodworking. As a noun, growing means the biological process of change and development itself: "Growing isn't always easy, but we all have to do it."
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.
The analysis - by the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology in Guangzhou, China - looked at children growing up either side of sugar rationing.
From BBC ● Jul. 29, 2026
MGM Resorts MGM -0.80%decrease; down pointing triangle International reported a higher profit and growing revenue noting strength in its Las Vegas Strip Resorts.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 29, 2026
The company also raised its guidance for the year, calling for fiscal 2026 same-store sales growth “nearing” 6% and revenues between flat to “slightly” growing.
From MarketWatch ● Jul. 29, 2026
The reforms seemed designed to target the most affected parts of daily life, and to provide a release value for growing political pressure.
From Barron's ● Jul. 29, 2026
Despite his growing interest in Maggie, Dr. Kane refused to believe that spirits tipped tables, rang bells, or rapped messages to communicate.
From "American Spirits" by Barb Rosenstock
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.
