increase

increase — verb

1. to go up in number, amount, size, or level; or to make something go up in these

1.verbtransitive / intransitiveA2
Definition

to go up in number, amount, size, or level; or to make something go up in these ways

Example

Sales increased by 15 percent after the company launched its new website.

increase + by + percentage for numerical change

The Watanabe family increased their monthly savings from ¥30,000 to ¥50,000.

Common collocations
  • increase significantly
  • increase steadily
  • increase dramatically
  • increase gradually
  • increase sharply
  • increase in size
  • increase in value
  • increase by 10 percent
  • increase from ... to ...
Synonyms
  • rise

    similar meaning but only intransitive; prices rise, but you cannot 'rise something'

  • grow

    suggests gradual, organic increase over time; often used with populations, plants, or economies

  • boost

    more informal, implies a quick or deliberate push upward (e.g. 'boost sales', 'boost morale')

  • expand

    focuses on increase in area, volume, or range rather than number

Antonyms
  • decrease

    direct opposite; used for both transitive and intransitive meanings

  • reduce

    transitive only; someone deliberately makes something smaller or lower

  • fall

    intransitive; often used for prices, temperatures, or levels going down

Grammar Patterns

increase + noun phrase

something + increase(s)

increase + by + amount/percentage

increase + from + amount + to + amount

increase + in + noun

Usage Note

Both transitive (increase something) and intransitive (something increases) uses are common with the same meaning of becoming larger. The most frequent opposite is 'decrease' for amounts and 'reduce' when someone deliberately makes something smaller.

Common Mistakes

The price increased with 5 dollars.
The price increased by 5 dollars.
Use 'by' (not 'with') before the amount or percentage of change.
The company increased the production this year.
The company increased production this year.
Do not use an article before mass nouns like 'production' when referring to the general concept.

Word family

Synonym discussion

Sense: verb/1

All four words describe things becoming greater, but they differ in how the change happens and who causes it. 'Rise' is intransitive only — prices rise, temperatures rise, but you cannot 'rise' something yourself. 'Grow' suggests a slow, natural process over time: a plant grows, a business grows, a child grows. 'Boost' is more active and informal — you boost sales with a marketing campaign, or boost morale with a team event. 'Expand' focuses on physical space or scope: a company expands its offices, a writer expands an article. For general numerical or quantitative increase, use 'increase' itself — it works in both transitive and intransitive patterns and fits all contexts from formal reports to everyday conversation.

rise ↗grow ↗boost ↗expand ↗

Common collocations

Nouns

Adverbs

Phrases

  • increase in value
  • increase in size
  • increase in number
  • increase in demand
  • rate of increase

Prepositions

Etymology

LatinOld FrenchEnglish

The word 'increase' comes from Old French 'encresser', which developed from Latin 'increscere' — formed from 'in-' meaning 'into' and 'crescere' meaning 'to grow'. The word entered English in the 14th century, first as a verb meaning 'to grow, multiply, or become more abundant'. The noun form appeared around the same time.