growing

growing — adjective

1. becoming larger in amount, number, or physical size over a period of time

1.adjectiveA2
Definition

becoming larger in amount, number, or physical size over a period of time

Example

The growing demand for electric cars has pushed prices down.

growing demand / population / concern — for abstract trends

Lien watched the growing pile of dirty dishes and sighed.

growing pile / collection — for physical accumulation of items

Common collocations
  • growing demand
  • growing concern
  • growing population
  • growing number of
  • growing pile
  • growing interest
  • growing trend
  • growing problem
Synonyms
  • increasing

    Directly interchangeable in most contexts; 'increasing' can also be used after a verb ('the number is increasing') while 'growing' as adjective cannot

  • expanding

    Emphasises spread over a larger area or scope; 'growing' is broader and also covers intensity

  • mounting

    Stronger, more urgent tone; used mainly for problems, debts, or pressure

  • rising

    Focuses on upward movement of a measurable quantity; common with prices, numbers, levels

Antonyms
  • shrinking

    Used for numbers, populations, or physical size decreasing

  • declining

    Often used for quality, interest, or popularity going down

  • decreasing

    More neutral and technical; common in scientific or statistical contexts

Grammar Patterns

growing + noun (abstract or concrete)

Usage Note

Only used before a noun (attributive position). For predicative use — for example, 'the pile is growing' — use the verb 'grow' instead.

Common Mistakes

The pile of dishes is growing bigger and bigger.
There is a growing pile of dirty dishes.
When using 'growing' as an adjective, it must be placed before a noun, not after a linking verb.

2. associated with or designed for the process of plants developing and increasing

2.adjectiveB2
Definition

associated with or designed for the process of plants developing and increasing in size

Example

The garden centre sells soil, fertiliser, and other growing supplies.

growing supplies / equipment / kit — items for cultivation

Hiro bought a growing kit to start a herb garden on his balcony.

growing kit / medium / season — terms in gardening and agriculture

Common collocations
  • growing season
  • growing medium
  • growing conditions
  • growing supplies
  • growing kit
  • growing area
Synonyms
  • cultivation

    A noun, not an adjective; 'cultivation supplies' can sometimes replace 'growing supplies'

  • nursery

    Used as an adjective in fixed terms like 'nursery plants' or 'nursery soil'; narrower in scope

Grammar Patterns

growing + noun (gardening / agriculture / horticulture)

Usage Note

Most often found in fixed gardening and agricultural terms such as 'growing season', 'growing medium', and 'growing conditions'. It is not used with general nouns like 'child' or 'business'.

Common Mistakes

Kids need a good growing environment at home.
Kids need a good environment for growth at home.
'growing' used in this sense only relates to plants and crops, not to human development.

Word family

Synonym discussion

Sense: adjective/1

All five words describe something becoming larger, but they differ in tone and typical use. 'Growing' is the broadest and most neutral, covering size, quantity, and intensity — a growing population, growing concern, growing pile. 'Increasing' is similarly broad but slightly more formal and more common in scientific or statistical writing. 'Rising' focuses on upward movement of measurable quantities, especially prices, temperatures, or numbers (rising costs, rising sea levels). 'Expanding' emphasises spread across area or scope (expanding business, expanding waistline). 'Mounting' carries urgency and is used for problems, debts, or pressure that accumulate to a worrying degree (mounting evidence, mounting frustration). For everyday use, 'growing' is the safest choice; choose 'mounting' when you want to convey tension or risk.

growing ↗increasingrising ↗expandingmounting

Etymology

Proto-GermanicOld EnglishMiddle EnglishEnglish

The word 'growing' started as the present participle of the Old English verb 'grōwan', which meant 'to flourish, increase, or develop'. This verb came from Proto-Germanic '*grōaną', related to the ancient idea of plants becoming green and thriving. By the Middle English period (around the 13th century), speakers began using the '-ing' participle form as an adjective before nouns — first for plants, then gradually for anything that increases.