- present participle of increase.
increasing
Americanadjective
-
growing larger or greater; enlarging; augmenting.
-
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.
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
Etymology
Origin of increasing
Explanation
Increasing means getting bigger or expanding. You'll be glad to have an increasing income, but perhaps less glad to have an increasing pants size. The adjective increasing describes anything that grows or becomes greater. Increasing volume from your neighbor's radio will drive you crazy, since it's getting louder and louder. If your tiny school attracts increasing numbers of new students, it's likely that new teachers will need to be hired. Increasing comes from the verb increase, or grow, with its Latin root word, increscere, "to grow upon, grow over, swell, or grow into."
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.
As a result, higher doses are often needed, increasing the risk of side effects, including acute muscle degeneration.
From Science Daily • Jun. 19, 2026
He said there is a “risk on” environment for investing, helped by plans for port development, pipelines and the government’s increasing defense spending.
From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 19, 2026
Large international events like the World Cup, combined with increasing measles transmission, “create favorable conditions for the spread of the disease,” warned the Pan American Health Organization, a United Nations-backed health agency.
From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 19, 2026
The frequency of heatwaves is increasing globally due to the effects of human-enduced climate change.
From BBC • Jun. 19, 2026
It was not their usual bath night, but the Incorrigible children had been itching and scratching with increasing frequency since their adventure in the forest.
From "The Unseen Guest" by Maryrose Wood
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.
