Showing results for "increasing"

• present participle of increase.

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.

---

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

• unincreasing
  adjective
• increasingly
  adverb

Etymology

Origin of increasing

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

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

See Examples For:

increasing

For the full year, Walmart said it sees sales increasing by between 4% and 5%, above its previous outlook of between 3.5% and 4.5%.

From MarketWatch ● Aug. 20, 2026

The results demonstrate “broad-based strength” across Novonesis, and the group’s increasing competitive advantage, J.P.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 20, 2026

There are also ethical concerns around the increasing use of AI in assessing the level of care vulnerable people need.

From BBC ● Aug. 20, 2026

"Understanding why breast cancer is increasing so rapidly in these communities is critical," Gomez said.

From Science Daily ● Aug. 19, 2026

“But it was a sight we did not like, for the floes were thudding against our floeberg with increasing violence. Our temporary home was being swept away at an unpleasantly rapid rate.”

From "Shipwreck at the Bottom of the World" by Jennifer Armstrong

Related Words

• accelerating
• deepening
• escalating
• growing
• intensifying