increase

To become bigger in size, amount, or number.

• Prices increased last month.
• The population is increasing rapidly.
• Will demand increase next year?

How to use it: increase by something (Sales increased by ten percent.); increase from A to B (The number increased from twenty to thirty.); increase in something (The city increased in size.)

Similar words: rise, grow

Opposites: decrease, fall

Common phrases: increase rapidly, increase by something, increase in size

To make something bigger in size, amount, or number.

• They increased my pay.
• Turn this knob to increase the speed.
• Can we increase production without hiring more staff?

How to use it: increase something by something (They increased the price by two euros.); increase something to something (We increased the group size to twelve.)

Similar words: raise, enlarge, boost

Opposites: decrease, reduce

Common phrases: increase prices, increase the speed, increase production, increase something gradually

For the moon, to show a larger bright area as it moves towards being full.

• The moon increases each night.
• We watched the moon increase towards fullness.
• As the moon increased, the nights grew brighter.

Similar words: wax

Opposites: wane

Common phrases: moon will increase, moon begins to increase

The extra amount by which something becomes bigger or greater.

• I received a small pay increase.
• The increase was fifty euros.
• They announced a price increase of ten percent.

How to use it: an increase of something (We recorded an increase of twenty students.); an increase in something (There was a large increase in rent.)

Similar words: rise, gain

Opposites: decrease, reduction

Common phrases: pay increase, price increase, increase of something

The process of growing in size, amount, or number.

• The increase in demand continues.
• We noticed a steady increase in traffic.
• A rapid increase in population puts pressure on housing.

How to use it: an increase in something (An increase in spending helped the economy.)

Similar words: growth, rise

Opposites: decrease, decline

Common phrases: increase in demand, steady increase, rapid increase