growth

14 synonyms and 3 antonyms for growth, grouped by meaning and by how common each one is.

Noun — An increase in size, amount or value over time.

Synonyms

Everyday swaps

Common words most readers know — safe in any writing.

increase expansion rise development growing

Less common

Still standard English, but they carry more weight.

emergence tumour lump swelling

Rare, literary or technical

Precise, but they will stand out — check the sense before using one.

increment ontogeny ontogenesis outgrowth maturation

Synonyms by Meaning

1. noun

An increase in size, amount or value over time.

“The company reported 12 per cent growth in the last quarter.”

increase expansion rise development increment emergence growing ontogeny ontogenesis outgrowth maturation

Opposites

decline contraction shrinkage

2. noun

The process by which a living thing gets bigger or develops.

“Warm weather triggers a burst of growth in the seedlings.”

development maturation

3. noun medical

A lump of abnormal tissue in or on the body.

“The vet removed a small growth from the dog's ear.”

tumour lump swelling

How to use growth

The word patterns that sound natural to a native speaker.

economic growth growth rate rapid growth personal growth growth in demand

Neutral and very common in business and economics, where it is usually uncountable.

Etymology

From the verb grow, of Germanic origin, with the noun-forming suffix -th as in width and depth.

Full origin of growth →

Frequently asked questions

What is the difference between growth and development?

Growth is about quantity: something becomes larger or there is more of it. Development is about quality and structure: something becomes more complex, capable or mature. An economy can grow without developing if output rises while institutions and living standards do not.

What does 'growth' mean in business?

Usually an increase in a headline figure such as revenue, customers or profit, measured against an earlier period. Because the base matters, always check what is being compared: 30 per cent growth on a tiny starting figure is not the same achievement as 30 per cent on a large one.

People also searched

development increase growing rise expansion decline emergence lump swelling contraction tumour increment

Nearby words

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