rise
Americanverb (used without object)
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rises,
present (3rd person singular)
-
rose,
past
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risen,
past participle
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rising
present participle
-
to get up from a lying, sitting, or kneeling posture; assume an upright position.
She rose and walked over to greet me. With great effort he rose to his knees.
- Antonyms:
- sink
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to get up from bed, especially to begin the day after a night's sleep.
to rise early.
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to become erect and stiff, as the hair in fright.
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to get up after falling or being thrown down.
- Antonyms:
- fall
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to become active in opposition or resistance; revolt or rebel.
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to be built up, erected, or constructed.
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to spring up or grow, as plants.
Weeds rose overnight.
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to become prominent on or project from a surface, as a blister.
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to come into existence; appear.
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to come into action, as a wind or storm.
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to occur.
A quarrel rose between them.
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to originate, issue, or be derived; to have a source.
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to move from a lower to a higher position; move upward; ascend.
The bird rose in the air.
- Synonyms:
- mount
- Antonyms:
- descend
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to ascend above the horizon, as a heavenly body.
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to extend directly upward; project vertically.
The tower rises to a height of 60 feet. The building rises above the city's other skyscrapers.
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to have an upward slant or curve.
The path rises as it approaches the woods.
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to attain higher rank, status, or importance or a higher economic level.
to rise in the world.
- Antonyms:
- fail
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to advance to a higher level of action, thought, feeling, etc..
to rise above the commonplace.
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Angling. (of fish) to come up toward the surface of the water in pursuit of food or bait.
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to prove oneself equal to a demand, emergency, etc. (followed byto ).
to rise to the occasion; to rise to one's responsibilities.
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to become animated, cheerful, or heartened, as the spirits.
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to become roused or stirred.
to feel one's temper rising.
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to increase in height, as the level of water.
The river rose thirty feet in eight hours.
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to swell or puff up, as dough from the action of yeast.
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to increase in amount, as prices.
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to increase in price or value, as commodities.
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to increase in degree, intensity, or force, as fever, color, etc.
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to become louder or of higher pitch, as the voice.
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to adjourn or close a session, as a deliberative body or court.
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to return from the dead.
Christ rose from the dead and on the third day ascended into heaven.
verb (used with object)
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rises,
present (3rd person singular)
-
rose,
past
-
risen,
past participle
-
rising
present participle
-
Nonstandard. to cause to rise.
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Nautical. to cause (something) to rise above the visible horizon by approaching nearer to it; raise.
noun
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rises
plural
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an act or instance of rising.
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appearance above the horizon, as of the sun or moon.
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elevation or increase in rank, fortune, influence, power, etc..
the rise and fall of ancient Rome.
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an increase in height, as of the level of water.
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the amount of such increase.
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an increase in amount, as of prices.
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an increase in price or value, as of commodities.
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Chiefly British. raise.
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an increase in degree or intensity, as of temperature.
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an increase in loudness or in pitch, as of the voice.
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Architecture, Building Trades.
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the measured height of any of various things, as a roof, a flight of steps, a stair step, or the crown of a road.
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the measured height of an arch from the springing line to the highest point of the intrados.
-
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the vertical distance through which the floor of an elevator or the like passes.
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origin, source, or beginning.
the rise of a stream in a mountain.
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a coming into existence or notice.
the rise of a new talent.
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extension upward.
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the amount of such extension.
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upward slope, as of ground or a road.
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a piece of rising or high ground.
a house built upon a gentle rise.
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the distance between the crotch and the waist of a pair of trousers.
Pants with a high rise are now in style.
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Angling. the coming up of a fish toward the surface in pursuit of food or bait.
verb phrase
verb
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to get up from a lying, sitting, kneeling, or prone position
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to get out of bed, esp to begin one's day
he always rises early
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to move from a lower to a higher position or place; ascend
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to ascend or appear above the horizon
the sun is rising
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to increase in height or level
the water rose above the normal level
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to attain higher rank, status, or reputation
he will rise in the world
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to be built or erected
those blocks of flats are rising fast
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to become apparent; appear
new troubles rose to afflict her
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to increase in strength, degree, intensity, etc
her spirits rose
the wind is rising
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to increase in amount or value
house prices are always rising
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to swell up
dough rises
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to become erect, stiff, or rigid
the hairs on his neck rose in fear
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(of one's stomach or gorge) to manifest or feel nausea; retch
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to become actively rebellious; revolt
the people rose against their oppressors
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to slope upwards
the ground rises beyond the lake
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to return from the dead; be resurrected
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to originate; come into existence
that river rises in the mountains
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(of a session of a court, legislative assembly, etc) to come to an end; adjourn
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angling (of fish) to come to the surface of the water, as when taking flies
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(tr) nautical another term for raise
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informal (often foll by to) to respond (to teasing, etc) or fall into a trap prepared for one
noun
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the act or an instance of rising; ascent
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an increase in height; elevation
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an increase in rank, status, or position
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an increase in amount, cost, or value
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an increase in degree or intensity
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US and Canadian word: raise. an increase in salary or wages
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a piece of rising ground
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an upward slope or incline
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the appearance of the sun, moon, or other celestial body above the horizon
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the vertical height of a step or of a flight of stairs
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the vertical height of a roof above the walls or columns
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the height of an arch above the impost level
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angling the act or instance of fish coming to the surface of the water to take flies, etc
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the beginning, origin, or source; derivation
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slang an erection of the penis
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to provoke an angry or petulant reaction from
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to cause the development of; produce
Usage
What is a basic definition of rise? Rise means to get up from a low position or to increase. As a noun, rise means an elevation from a starting point. The word rise has many other senses as a verb and a noun. In nearly every sense, the word rise refers to something going up or going upward, either literally or figuratively. When something or someone rises, it is going from a seated or prone position to an upright, erect position. If a cat rises from the floor, for example, it moves from sitting or laying down on the floor to standing.
- Real-life examples: At sporting events, people rise out of their chairs during the national anthem. A person rises after doing push-ups or sit-ups. When zombies rise from the dead, they are standing up from a lying position in the dirt or a coffin.
- Used in a sentence: Jessica quickly rose to her feet after her mom caught her lazing on the couch.
- Real-life examples: The temperature rises when it is hot outside. News ratings tend to rise during elections, scandals, or natural disasters. Your cost of living will probably rise dramatically if you decide to move to New York City.
- Used in a sentence: The cost of my electric bill keeps rising no matter how little power I use.
- Real-life examples: Asia was changed forever by the rise of the Mongol Empire during the 12th and 13th centuries. The rise of rock and roll music occurred during the 1950s. The rise of the Nazis in the 1930s changed world history.
- Used in a sentence: In my opinion, music got a lot more interesting after the rise of hip-hop.
Commonly Confused
See raise.
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
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risesimple
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risessimple
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have risenperfect
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has risenperfect
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am risingprogressive
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are risingprogressive
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is risingprogressive
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have been risingperfect progressive
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has been risingperfect progressive
Past
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rosesimple
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had risenperfect
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was risingprogressive
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were risingprogressive
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had been risingperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of rise
First recorded before 1000; Middle English risen (verb), Old English rīsan; cognate with Dutch rijzen, Old High German rīsan, Gothic reisan; akin to raise, rear 2
Explanation
Rise almost always has to do with something that’s becoming taller or higher, like when you rise from your chair or your grades that rise when you study harder. As a verb, rise can mean anything from "get up" to "increase" to "rebel" to "return from the dead." As a noun, it can be an upward movement, a little hill, a wage increase, a price hike, or even the length from the waistband to the center seam on a pair of jeans — with a low rise, those fashionable jeans don't cover much of your mid-section, which is why denim shopping with Mom can make anger rise in both of you!
Vocabulary lists containing rise
Functions - Middle School
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List 3
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"Talkin' 'bout a Revolution"
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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:
The odds of these maladies rise dramatically in your 80s, but serious health challenges are not uncommon in your 70s, as I sadly saw with my late sister earlier this year.
From MarketWatch ● Aug. 23, 2026
The rise of generative artificial intelligence has arguably made the public’s desire for original human works even more pronounced.
From Salon ● Aug. 23, 2026
The rise will apply to household bills during the first half of the coming winter and follows a sharper 13% rise in July.
From BBC ● Aug. 22, 2026
Some attribute the recent emphasis on protein intake to the rise of GLP-1 medications, which often decrease appetite and make it challenging to eat enough protein to preserve lean muscle mass during weight loss.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 22, 2026
A few bubbles rise to the surface in his stead.
From "Kwame Crashes the Underworld" by Craig Kofi Farmer
They argued that the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government "assumed massive rises in council tax" in their areas to compensate for cuts to central government funding when publishing its Local Government Finance Settlement.
From BBC ● Aug. 21, 2026
You hope you don’t work this hard at a thing for it to fall on deaf ears, and I know how microwavable music has been, but I believe the cream rises to the top.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 21, 2026
Among the best performers on Japan’s benchmark index, Shimano rises 4.9%, Daiichi Sankyo 4568 6.08%increase; green up pointing triangle adds 4.7%, and Shiseido is 4.0% higher.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 20, 2026
It resembles the gradual way a magnet loses its magnetism as its temperature rises.
From Science Daily ● Aug. 20, 2026
In this revised version, a hydrogen bomb test awakens a giant fire-breathing mutant, which then rises out of the sea and marches into Tokyo.
From "Fallout: Spies, Superbombs, and the Ultimate Cold War Showdown" by Steve Sheinkin
When German Chancellor Friedrich Merz finally rose to power in May 2025 after years of political failure and an inconclusive election, he already faced what looked like an impossible situation.
From Salon ● Aug. 23, 2026
Prices of gold, silver, platinum and Bitcoin rose following the Treasury buyback announcement, while the dollar fell.
From Barron's ● Aug. 22, 2026
Gold rose, extending its rally as fiscal anxiety drove demand for hard assets.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 21, 2026
Alphabet shares were up more than 1%, while Uber’s stock rose 0.3%.
From MarketWatch ● Aug. 21, 2026
After a long minute, I closed the book and rose to return it to the shelf like any other ordinary patron.
From "The Red Car to Hollywood" by Jennie Liu
In Japan, the yen has weakened as the supply of Wagyu has risen, creating a surplus.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 22, 2026
Disease prevalence rates in the region have risen for the past 20 years or more, after a period when they had dropped off thanks to regulations limiting miners' exposure to coal dust.
From Barron's ● Aug. 21, 2026
House prices have typically risen more slowly than wages in the last few years, making it easier to save - and some lenders will take a smaller deposit.
From BBC ● Aug. 20, 2026
He was the first openly gay state senator in Michigan history and has risen into legislative leadership during his decade of service in Lansing.
From Slate ● Aug. 20, 2026
A wind had risen, whispering among the black clusters of trees.
From "The Book of Three" by Lloyd Alexander
"You can see it across all areas -- customer inquiries keep rising and rising," she said.
From Barron's ● Aug. 23, 2026
After the war began, China’s coal-to-chemical industry had a valuable buffer from rising oil prices, and the benefit of higher prices for their products.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 22, 2026
A weakening currency coupled with rising bond yields is often seen as a sign that investor confidence has been dented.
From MarketWatch ● Aug. 22, 2026
The noise in the stadium was rising on both sides.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 22, 2026
“That’s not the point. We pay good money for this food,” Vivian said, her voice rising to operatic levels.
From "Not Nothing" by Gayle Forman
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.
