increase
Americanverb (used with object)
verb (used without object)
noun
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growth or augmentation in numbers, size, strength, quality, etc..
the increase of crime.
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the act or process of increasing.
- Synonyms:
- expansion, enlargement
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that by which something is increased.
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the result of increasing.
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produce of the earth.
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product; profit; interest.
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Obsolete.
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multiplication by propagation; production of offspring.
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offspring; progeny.
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verb
noun
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the act of increasing; augmentation
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the amount by which something increases
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increasing, esp becoming more frequent
Usage
What does increase mean? To increase is to become greater or more in number, amount, size, or in some other way, as in Our profits will increase as demand increases. As a verb, increase is also used in an active way in which someone or something is doing the increasing, as in I’m going to increase my hours at work or These sunglasses increase visibility. Increase can also be used as a noun referring to a rise or growth in something, as in We are experiencing an increase in applicants. It can also refer to the amount by which something has increased, as in The increase was $5,000 per year. The words increased and increasing can both be used as adjectives, as in an increased appetite or increasing sales. The opposite of increase as both a verb and a noun is decrease. Example: My boss increased my workload, which led to an increase in stress.
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
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increasernoun
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superincreasenoun
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unincreasedadjective
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quasi-increasedadjective
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preincreasenoun
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increasableadjective
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nonincreasenoun
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nonincreasableadjective
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increasedlyadverb
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reincreaseverb
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preincreaseverb (used with object)
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proincreaseadjective
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unincreasableadjective
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superincreaseverb (used with object)
Conjugated Forms
Present
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has increasedperfect 3rd person singular
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has been increasingperfect progressive 3rd person singular
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have increasedperfect
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am increasingprogressive 1st person singular
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are increasingprogressive
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is increasingprogressive 3rd person singular
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have been increasingperfect progressive
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increasessingular 3rd person
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increasingparticiple
Past
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had increasedperfect
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were increasingprogressive plural
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was increasingprogressive singular
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had been increasingperfect progressive
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increasedparticiple
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increasedsimple
Future
Etymology
Origin of increase
First recorded in 1370–1395; Middle English incresen, encresen, from Anglo-French encres-, Middle French encreis(s)-, stem of encreistre, from Latin incrēscere, equivalent to in- in- 2 + crēscere “to grow”; see crescent
Explanation
The noun increase indicates growth of something that gets bigger in number or volume. When used as a verb, it means the act of growing or gaining more. However it's used, it refers to something that has gotten bigger. Anything that can add on can increase. You can increase your speed to go faster, increase your strength by working out, increase your knowledge by studying, and increase your circle of friends by meeting more people. You can work harder to see an increase of profits, and you can prevent an increase in your electric bill by turning out unnecessary lights. And now you’ve increased your vocabulary by learning a new word!
Vocabulary lists containing increase
"Siberian Survivors" and "Tigers in the Wild"
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Arithmetic, List 1
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Unit 17, Lesson 2
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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.
Immersive art allows for a sense of participation, which Wicks hopes will increase one’s appreciation of dance.
From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 10, 2026
On average, the price of a pint has risen by about £1.50 – an increase of 36% – over the past four years.
From BBC • Jun. 10, 2026
The producer-price index jumped 3.9% from a year earlier last month, accelerating from a 2.8% increase in April, the National Bureau of Statistics said on Wednesday.
From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 10, 2026
That is cheap for a company expected by analysts to increase its underlying trading operating profit by 21% from last year to 2030.
From Barron's • Jun. 10, 2026
“Er, no, actually, too many eggs could increase your cholesterol, Baba.”
From "A Place at the Table" by Saadia Faruqi and Laura Shovan
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.
