Increase is a commonfrequently used; familiar and not unusual word for becoming larger or making something larger. It can also referpoint to or indicate something as meaning to the amounta quantity of something, especially a total number or size added or the change itself.
Reviewed with OpenAI Decisions. Assessment: accurate. Checked: 2026-10-16. AI assessment; not a guarantee of accuracy.
Pronunciation
AI-generated pronunciation audio (OpenAI).
Accent: General American English
IPA: /'ɪnkris/
Easy pronunciation: IN-krees (approximate spelling).
Stress: Stress the first syllable.
Noun meaning the act of increasing something.
Reviewed with OpenAI Decisions. Assessment: inaccurate — correction needed. Checked: 2026-10-16. AI assessment; not a guarantee of accuracy.
Increase Meaning
an rise in amount, level, or size; the fact that something becomes greater
Part of speech: noun
Definition: the act of increasing something
Example: The company announced an increase in prices.
Synonyms for this meaning:
- increment — Works well for a counted or measured increase.
- growth — Good when something expands or becomes more over time.
- addition — Can work when something is added to make a total larger, but it is less exact than increase.
- gain — Works in contexts like profit, value, or amount rising.
Reviewed with OpenAI Decisions. Assessment: uncertain — manual review needed. Checked: 2026-10-16. AI assessment; not a guarantee of accuracy.
Other Meanings of Increase
Meaning 2
the extra amount added; the size of the rise
Part of speech: noun
Definition: the amount by which something increases
Example: There was a 10 percent increase in sales.
Synonyms for this meaning:
- increment — A specific added amount.
Meaning 3
something added to make a total bigger
Part of speech: noun
Definition: a quantity that is added
Example: The new tax was an increase on the original fee.
Synonyms for this meaning:
- addition — A thing added to something else.
- gain — Only in the sense of something extra obtained.
Meaning 4
the process of getting bigger, longer, more, or more important
Part of speech: noun
Definition: a process of becoming larger or longer or more numerous or more important
Example: Population increase has put pressure on housing.
Synonyms for this meaning:
- growth — A natural or gradual becoming larger or greater.
- increment — Best when the change happens by small steps.
Meaning 5
a rise or higher amount that results from a change
Part of speech: noun
Definition: a change resulting in an increase
Example: The increase will take effect next month.
Meaning 6
to become larger, higher, or more
Part of speech: verb
Definition: become bigger or greater in amount
Example: Sales increased sharply last year.
Meaning 7
to cause something to become larger or greater
Part of speech: verb
Definition: make bigger or more
Example: The boss increased her salary.
Reviewed with OpenAI Decisions. Assessment: inaccurate — correction needed. Checked: 2026-10-16. AI assessment; not a guarantee of accuracy.
Increase Synonyms
Similar Meaning
- increment
- growth
- addition
- gain
the amount by which something increases
- increment
the process of becoming larger or longer or more numerous or more important
- growth
- increment
a quantity that is added
- addition
- gain
Reviewed with OpenAI Decisions. Assessment: accurate. Checked: 2026-10-16. AI assessment; not a guarantee of accuracy.
Common Mistakes
- Do not use increase as a synonym for decrease.
- The verb increase means to make or become more, not to add something unrelated.
- Increase can mean the rise itself, the amount of the rise, or the act of raising something, so choose the sense carefully.
Reviewed with OpenAI Decisions. Assessment: accurate. Checked: 2026-10-16. AI assessment; not a guarantee of accuracy.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does increase mean?
Increase means to become larger or greater, or to make something larger or greater. As a noun, it can also mean the rise itself or the amount added.
What are the synonyms of increase?
Good synonyms depend on the sense. For the noun, common options include increment, growth, addition, and gain. For the verb, the closest everyday substitute is often raise or make bigger, but those were not in the supplied source data.
Is increase a noun or a verb?
Increase can be both a noun and a verb.
Reviewed with OpenAI Decisions. Assessment: accurate. Checked: 2026-10-16. AI assessment; not a guarantee of accuracy.