INCREASE

IPA (US):

 Dictionary entry overview: What does increase mean? 

• INCREASE (noun)
  The noun INCREASE has 5 senses:

1. a quantity that is added

2. a change resulting in an increase

3. a process of becoming larger or longer or more numerous or more important

4. the amount by which something increases

5. the act of increasing something

  Familiarity information: INCREASE used as a noun is common.

• INCREASE (verb)
  The verb INCREASE has 2 senses:

1. become bigger or greater in amount

2. make bigger or more

  Familiarity information: INCREASE used as a verb is rare.

 Dictionary entry details 

• INCREASE (noun)

Sense 1

Meaning:

A quantity that is added

Classified under:

Nouns denoting quantities and units of measure

Synonyms:

addition; gain; increase

Context example:

they recorded the cattle's gain in weight over a period of weeks

Hypernyms ("increase" is a kind of...):

indefinite quantity (an estimated quantity)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "increase"):

accretion (something contributing to growth or increase)

Derivation:

increase (become bigger or greater in amount)

increase (make bigger or more)

Sense 2

Meaning:

A change resulting in an increase

Classified under:

Nouns denoting natural events

Context example:

the increase is scheduled for next month

Hypernyms ("increase" is a kind of...):

alteration; change; modification (an event that occurs when something passes from one state or phase to another)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "increase"):

concentration (increase in density)

waxing (a gradual increase in magnitude or extent)

run-up; runup (a substantial increase over a relatively short period of time)

jump; leap (a sudden and decisive increase)

explosion (a sudden great increase)

augmentation (the amount by which something increases)

Antonym:

decrease (a change downward)

Derivation:

increase (make bigger or more)

increase (become bigger or greater in amount)

Sense 3

Meaning:

A process of becoming larger or longer or more numerous or more important

Classified under:

Nouns denoting natural processes

Synonyms:

growth; increase; increment

Context example:

the growth of population

Hypernyms ("increase" is a kind of...):

physical process; process (a sustained phenomenon or one marked by gradual changes through a series of states)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "increase"):

accession (a process of increasing by addition (as to a collection or group))

accretion; accumulation (an increase by natural growth or addition)

accretion ((geology) an increase in land resulting from alluvial deposits or waterborne sediment)

accretion ((biology) growth by addition as by the adhesion of parts or particles)

accretion ((astronomy) the formation of a celestial object by the effect of gravity pulling together surrounding objects and gases)

multiplication (a multiplicative increase)

population growth (increase in the number of people who inhabit a territory or state)

proliferation (a rapid increase in number (especially a rapid increase in the number of deadly weapons))

pullulation (a rapid and abundant increase)

relaxation ((physiology) the gradual lengthening of inactive muscle or muscle fibers)

broadening; widening (an increase in width)

Antonym:

decrease (a process of becoming smaller or shorter)

Derivation:

increase (make bigger or more)

increase (become bigger or greater in amount)

Sense 4

Meaning:

The amount by which something increases

Classified under:

Nouns denoting attributes of people and objects

Synonyms:

increase; increment

Context example:

they proposed an increase of 15 percent in the fare

Hypernyms ("increase" is a kind of...):

amount (the relative magnitude of something with reference to a criterion)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "increase"):

fare increase (increase in the sum charged for riding in a public conveyance)

up-tick (a small increase)

tax-increase; tax boost; tax hike (the amount by which taxes are increased)

supplement; supplementation (a quantity added (e.g. to make up for a deficiency))

boost; cost increase; hike; rise (an increase in cost)

hike; raise; rise; salary increase; wage hike; wage increase (the amount a salary is increased)

price increase (increase in price)

amplification; gain (the amount of increase in signal power or voltage or current expressed as the ratio of output to input)

Antonym:

decrease (the amount by which something decreases)

Derivation:

increase (make bigger or more)

increase (become bigger or greater in amount)

Sense 5

Meaning:

The act of increasing something

Classified under:

Nouns denoting acts or actions

Synonyms:

increase; step-up

Context example:

he gave me an increase in salary

Hypernyms ("increase" is a kind of...):

change of magnitude (the act of changing the amount or size of something)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "increase"):

advance; rise (increase in price or value)

addition (the act of adding one thing to another)

split; split up; stock split (an increase in the number of outstanding shares of a corporation without changing the shareholders' equity)

intensification (the act of increasing the contrast of (a photographic film))

intensification (action that makes something stronger or more extreme)

strengthening (the act of increasing the strength of something)

aggrandisement; aggrandizement; elevation (the act of increasing the wealth or prestige or power or scope of something)

inclusion (the act of including)

accrual; accruement; accumulation (the act of accumulating)

expanding upon; expansion (adding information or detail)

maximation; maximisation; maximization (the act of raising to the highest possible point or condition or position)

escalation (an increase to counteract a perceived discrepancy)

enlargement; expansion (the act of increasing (something) in size or volume or quantity or scope)

amplification ((electronics) the act of increasing voltage or power or current)

augmentation (the act of augmenting)

surge; upsurge (a sudden or abrupt strong increase)

appreciation (an increase in price or value)

exaggeration (the act of making something more noticeable than usual)

Antonym:

decrease (the act of decreasing or reducing something)

Derivation:

increase (make bigger or more)

increase (become bigger or greater in amount)

• INCREASE (verb)

Conjugation:

Sense 1

Meaning:

Become bigger or greater in amount

Classified under:

Verbs of size, temperature change, intensifying, etc.

Context example:

The amount of work increased

Hypernyms (to "increase" is one way to...):

change magnitude (change in size or magnitude)

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "increase"):

swell (increase in size, magnitude, number, or intensity)

crescendo (grow louder)

full; wax (increase in phase)

climb; mount; rise; wax (go up or advance)

shoot up (rise dramatically)

broaden (become broader)

appreciate; apprise; apprize; revalue (gain in value)

widen (become broader or wider or more extensive)

pullulate (become abundant; increase rapidly)

grow (become larger, greater, or bigger; expand or gain)

compound; deepen; heighten; intensify (make more intense, stronger, or more marked)

deepen; intensify (become more intense)

add (make an addition (to); join or combine or unite with others; increase the quality, quantity, size or scope of)

accumulate; amass; conglomerate; cumulate; gather; pile up (collect or gather)

snowball (increase or accumulate at a rapidly accelerating rate)

pyramid (increase rapidly and progressively step by step on a broad base)

explode; irrupt (increase rapidly and in an uncontrolled manner)

gain; gather (increase or develop)

add to (have an increased effect)

spike (manifest a sharp increase)

accrue (grow by addition)

Sentence frame:

Something ----s

Sentence example:

Their earnings increase this year

Antonym:

decrease (decrease in size, extent, or range)

Derivation:

increase (the act of increasing something)

increase (the amount by which something increases)

increase (a change resulting in an increase)

increase (a process of becoming larger or longer or more numerous or more important)

increase (a quantity that is added)

Sense 2

Meaning:

Make bigger or more

Classified under:

Verbs of size, temperature change, intensifying, etc.

Context example:

The university increased the number of students it admitted

Hypernyms (to "increase" is one way to...):

alter; change; modify (cause to change; make different; cause a transformation)

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "increase"):

augment (enlarge or increase)

kite (increase the amount (of a check) fraudulently)

broaden; extend; widen (extend in scope or range or area)

advance; boost; supercharge (increase or raise)

rev up; step up (speed up)

rev; rev up (increase the number of rotations per minute)

heighten; rise (become more extreme)

heighten (make more extreme; raise in quantity, degree, or intensity)

maximise; maximize (make as big or large as possible)

regenerate (amplify (an electron current) by causing part of the power in the output circuit to act upon the input circuit)

lengthen (make longer)

escalate; intensify; step up (increase in extent or intensity)

boost (give a boost to; be beneficial to)

extend; stretch (increase in quantity or bulk by adding a cheaper substance)

build up (enlarge, develop, or increase by degrees or in stages)

enlarge (make larger)

up (raise)

raise (raise the level or amount of something)

blow up; enlarge; magnify (make large)

manifold; multiply (combine or increase by multiplication)

build; build up; ramp up; work up (bolster or strengthen)

amplify; blow up; expand; inflate (exaggerate or make bigger)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s something
Something ----s something

Sentence example:

They increase their earnings this year

Antonym:

decrease (make smaller)

Derivation:

increase (the act of increasing something)

increase (the amount by which something increases)

increase (a change resulting in an increase)

increase (a process of becoming larger or longer or more numerous or more important)

increase (a quantity that is added)

 Context examples 

Both aberrant and constitutive activation of signal transduction molecules are found in about 50% of primary AML bone marrow samples, and seem to contribute to the increased proliferation and apoptosis resistance.

(Acute Myeloid Leukemia Pathway, NCI Thesaurus/KEGG)

Why did he not break it there, since it is evident that every yard that he carried it increased the risk of someone meeting him?

(The Return of Sherlock Holmes, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

Tooth decay that is increasing in size or scope.

(Active Caries, NCI Thesaurus)

I think he does himself no good by the habit that has increased upon him since I first came here.

(David Copperfield, by Charles Dickens)

Sudden and sustained deterioration of the kidney function characterized by decreased glomerular filtration rate, increased serum creatinine or oliguria.

(Acute Renal Failure, NCI Thesaurus)

To join or unite with others so as to increase size, quantity, or scope.

(Add, NCI Thesaurus)

Adapalene may increase dermal sensitivity to ultraviolet radiation.

(Adapalene, NCI Thesaurus)

I hear a nightingale warbling in a wood half a mile off; no moving form is visible, no coming step audible; but that perfume increases: I must flee.

(Jane Eyre, by Charlotte Brontë)

In watching them she forgot herself; and, agitated by the increasing spirit of Edmund's manner, had once closed the page and turned away exactly as he wanted help.

(Mansfield Park, by Jane Austen)

On this scale, a pH value of 7 is neutral, and a pH value of less than 7 to 0 shows increasing acidity.

(Acidity, NCI Dictionary)