rise
ryz
Rise (verb) means to move upward or increase. Example: “Smoke began to rise from the chimney as soon as we lit the fire.”
verb
1
To move upward or increase.
"Smoke began to rise from the chimney as soon as we lit the fire."
"Prices continued to rise throughout the year."
"The sun rises in the east."
2
To get up from a lying or sitting position, or to get out of bed.
"I never rise before seven unless I have an early train to catch."
"She rises early every morning to exercise."
"The patient was told to rise slowly from the bed to avoid feeling dizzy."
noun
1
An increase, or an upward slope.
"Shops reported a sharp rise in sales just before the holidays."
"He asked his boss for a pay rise."
"The road climbed a steep rise before leveling out."
How to use rise
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishTo go up, get up, or increase — also, as a noun, an increase or a raise in pay.
Common mistake
Don't confuse "rise" (to go up by itself) with "raise" (to lift something else up) — the sun rises, but you raise your hand.
UK vs US
British English commonly uses "pay rise," while American English uses "raise."
Easily confused with
Common pairings
rise to the occasion
rise and shine
on the rise
give rise to
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Word forms
- Third person singular
- rises
- Past tense
- rose, risen, rised
- Archaic forms
- risest, rosest, riseth
Fill the gap
Can you complete this real example?
Smoke began to _____ from the chimney as soon as we lit the fire.
Etymology
From Old English rīsan, "to rise," from a Proto-Germanic root meaning "to arise" or "get up."
Synonyms
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Related words
Rhymes for rise
See all rhymes for rise →Frequently asked questions
What does “rise” mean?
The word “rise” means to move upward or increase. In plain terms, to go up, get up, or increase — also, as a noun, an increase or a raise in pay.
How do you pronounce “rise”?
“Rise” is pronounced ryz (/ɹaɪz/ in IPA).
How do you use “rise” in a sentence?
Here is “rise” used in a sentence: “Prices continued to rise throughout the year.”
What is another word for “rise”?
Words with a similar meaning to “rise” include get up, increase and go up.
What is the opposite of “rise”?
The opposite of “rise” — its antonyms — are descend, drop, fall, sink and set.
What part of speech is “rise”?
Depending on how it is used, “rise” can be a verb and a noun.
Where does the word “rise” come from?
The word “rise” comes from Old English. From Old English rīsan, "to rise," from a Proto-Germanic root meaning "to arise" or "get up.".
Is “rise” a common word?
“Rise” is a very common word in modern English, usually learned at around the B1 level.
What is the difference between "rise" and "raise"?
"Rise" is intransitive, meaning something goes up on its own with no object, as in "the sun rises" or "prices rise." "Raise" is transitive, meaning someone lifts something else, as in "raise your hand" or "raise prices." If you can ask "raise what?", use raise; if nothing is being lifted, use rise.
What is the past tense of "rise"?
"Rise" is irregular: its past tense is "rose" and its past participle is "risen." So you say "the sun rose this morning" and "the sun has risen." Don't confuse these with "raise," whose past forms are the regular "raised" and "raised."
What is the opposite of "rise"?
The main opposites are "fall," "drop," "sink," and "descend." Where things rise they move up or increase; where they fall or drop they move down or decrease. "Prices rise" contrasts with "prices fall," and "the sun rises" with "the sun sets."
What is an example of "rise" in a sentence?
"Hot-air balloons rise into the sky" shows upward movement. "Prices are expected to rise next year" shows an increase. In both, nothing is being lifted by someone else, which is exactly why "rise," not "raise," is the correct choice.
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