verb

increase

ihn-KREES

verb

To become larger in amount, number, or degree.

"Sales increased sharply after the advertising campaign."

"Traffic tends to increase during the holidays."

To make something larger in amount, number, or degree.

"The company increased wages to keep up with inflation."

noun

The amount by which something grows, or the act of growing larger.

"There was a noticeable increase in customer complaints last month."

How to Use Increase

Learner’s notes

In plain EnglishTo grow bigger, or to make something bigger — in size, amount, or level.

Common pairings

sharp increase increase in demand increase productivity

increased past tense, increases plural, increases singular

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Can you complete this real example?

Sales _____ sharply after the advertising campaign.

From Anglo-Norman encreistre, from Latin increscere ("to grow"), from in- plus crescere ("to grow").

wax go up grow soar shoot up greaten raise up accelerate accrue aggrandize augment

decrease drop fall go down plummet plunge reduce shrink

abandon abate shrink accelerate accumulate kill fall wax

case base mase vase ease tase Jase erase cease phase pease chase

wax go up grow soar shoot up greaten raise up accelerate accrue aggrandize augment