increase

v., -creased, -creas·ing, -creas·es.

v.intr.

1. To become greater or larger.
2. To multiply; reproduce.

v.tr.

To make greater or larger.

n. (ĭn'krēs')

1. The act of increasing: a steady increase in temperature.
2. The amount or rate by which something is increased: a tax increase of 15 percent.
3. Obsolete. Reproduction and spread; propagation.

idiom:

on the increase

1. Increasing, especially in frequency of occurrence: Crime is on the increase.

[Middle English encresen, from Old French encreistre, encreiss-, from Latin incrēscere : in-, intensive pref.; see in–² + crēscere, to grow.]

increasable in·creas'a·ble adj.
increaser in·creas'er n.
increasingly in·creas'ing·ly adv.

SYNONYMS  increase, expand, enlarge, extend, augment, multiply. These verbs mean to make or become greater or larger. Increase sometimes suggests steady growth: The mayor's political influence rapidly increased. “No machines will increase the possibilities of life. They only increase the possibilities of idleness” (John Ruskin). To expand is to increase in size, area, volume, bulk, or range: He inhaled deeply, expanding his chest. “Work expands so as to fill the time available for its completion” (C. Northcote Parkinson). Enlarge refers to expansion in size, extent, capacity, or scope: The landowner enlarged her property by repeated purchases. My knowledge of literature has enlarged considerably since I joined a reading group. To extend is to lengthen in space or time or to broaden in range: The transit authority extended the subway line to the next town. The baseball season extends into October. Augment usually applies to what is already developed or well under way: She augmented her collection of books each month. His depression augments with each visit to the hospital. To multiply is to increase in number, especially by propagation or procreation: “As for my cats, they multiplied” (Daniel Defoe). “May thy days be multiplied!” (Sir Walter Scott).

verb

1. To make or become greater or larger: aggrandize, amplify, augment, boost, build, build up, burgeon, enlarge, escalate, expand, extend, grow, magnify, mount, multiply, proliferate, rise, run up, snowball, soar, swell, upsurge, wax. Informal beef up. See increase/decrease.
2. To produce sexually or asexually others of one's kind: breed, multiply, procreate, proliferate, propagate, reproduce, spawn. See reproduction/barrenness.

noun

1. The act of increasing or rising: aggrandizement, amplification, augment, augmentation, boost, buildup, enlargement, escalation, growth, hike, jump, multiplication, proliferation, raise, rise, swell, upsurge, upswing, upturn. See increase/decrease.
2. The amount by which something is increased: advance, boost, hike, increment, jump, raise, rise. See increase/decrease.
3. The process by which an organism produces others of its kind: breeding, multiplication, procreation, proliferation, propagation, reproduction, spawning. See reproduction/barrenness.

n

Definition: addition, growth
Antonyms: decrease, depletion, diminishment, loss, reduction, subtraction

v

Definition: add or grow
Antonyms: decrease, deplete, diminish, lose, reduce, subtract

---

IN BRIEF: To make or become larger in size.

Difficulties increase the nearer we approach the goal. — Johann Wolfgang von Goethe (1749-1832), German philosopher, scientist & writer.

Dansk (Danish)
v. intr. - forøges, stige, vokse, gå op
v. tr. - forøge, forhøje, forstørre
n. - forøgelse, forhøjelse, forstørrelse, stigning, vækst

idioms:

• on the increase    stigende, tiltagende, for opadgående

Nederlands (Dutch)
toenemen, vergroten, zich vermenigvuldigen, vermeerderen, aangroeien, verhogen, toename, vergroting, verhoging, salarisverhoging

Français (French)
v. intr. - grandir, s'agrandir, croître, s'accroître, s'accentuer, grossir, augmenter
v. tr. - augmenter, grossir, accroître, croître, agrandir, majorer, accentuer
n. - augmentation, accroissement, hausse

idioms:

• on the increase    à la hausse

Deutsch (German)
v. - zunehmen, sich vermehren, wachsen, verstärken, erhöhen, vermehren
n. - Zunahme, Erhöhung, Steigerung

idioms:

• on the increase    ständig zunehmend

Ελληνική (Greek)
v. - αυξάνω/-ομαι, μεγαλώνω, αναπτύσσομαι
n. - αύξηση, επαύξηση, (μτφ.) άνοδος

idioms:

• on the increase    αυξανόμενος, πληθυνόμενος

Italiano (Italian)
aumentare, moltiplicarsi, crescere, accelerare, incremento, aumento

idioms:

• on the increase    in aumento

Português (Portuguese)
v. - aumentar
n. - aumento (m)

idioms:

• on the increase    subindo, aumentando

Русский (Russian)
увеличивать, усиливать, возрастание

idioms:

• on the increase    на подъеме

Español (Spanish)
v. intr. - aumentarse, acrecentarse, crecer, tomar cuerpo, multiplicarse, arreciar
v. tr. - aumentar, acrecentar, incrementar, crecer
n. - aumento, crecimiento, incremento, alza, subida

idioms:

• on the increase    ir en aumento

Svenska (Swedish)
v. - öka(s), stiga, växa, tillta, höja
n. - (ut)ökning, höjning, tilltagande, tillväxt, skörd

中文（简体）(Chinese (Simplified))
增加, 繁殖, 加大, 利益, 增进

idioms:

• on the increase    正在增长

中文（繁體）(Chinese (Traditional))
v. intr. - 增加, 繁殖
v. tr. - 增加, 加大
n. - 增加, 利益, 增進

idioms:

• on the increase    正在增長

한국어 (Korean)
v. intr. - 늘다, 번식하다, 차다
v. tr. - 늘리다, 증진시키다
n. - 증가, 산물, 이자

日本語 (Japanese)
v. - 増す, 増える, 増大する, 強まる, ふやす, 強める
n. - 増加, 増殖, 増加量

idioms:

• increase in sales    売り上げが伸びる
• increase in turnover    売り上げが伸びる
• on the increase    次第に増加して

العربيه (Arabic)
‏(فعل) يزيد, يزداد (الاسم) زيادة‏

עברית (Hebrew)
v. intr. - ‮גדל, התקדם (באיכות, בהישגים), התגבר‬
v. tr. - ‮הגביר, העצים‬
n. - ‮תוספת, גידול, התרבות, שיעור גדילה, גדילה‬

If you are unable to view some languages clearly, click here.

To select your translation preferences click here.

increase horsepower