There are numerous words in English that basically mean "more" or "increase." These words can be used in a variety of contexts, such as in a business presentation, a science researcher chalk talk, a business report, a social science seminar, a TOEFL Speaking section response, or an IELTS essay. You can click on any word to jump down and receive a clear definition, example sentences, and often a colorful visual aid to help you remember the word better!
You can also find a list of words meaning "less" or "decrease here.
If you would like get more practice using these words and receive professional feedback to check whether you are applying them correctly, you can email me at contact@englishtutordia.com to schedule your first free online consultation.
reach - to rise to a certain height or amount
- The online news show reached 1 million subscribers in just one year.
- The company’s revenue reached $20 million during the last quarter.
- Founded in 2010, the charity’s fundraising total has so far reached over £17 million to construct affordable housing units in the western part of the city.
elevate - to raise higher, to increase
- These new systems will elevate levels of trust between people and technology.
- After the treatment, the patients experienced elevated levels of nutrient absorption.
- Using these studying techniques can help you elevate your test scores.
climb - to increase
- The report said that sales climbed by 0.9 percent in April.
- The company’s stock shares climbed 18.34 percent to close at $12.06 on Tuesday.
- Sales of electric vehicles are climbing and several economists predict that over half of vehicles sold across the globe will be electric by 2045.
grow - to increase
- The town’s population grew 1.9% percent over the past two years.
- Instagram’s user numbers have grown at an extremely rapid pace over the past 6 months.
- Sales of organic imports have grown steadily, reaching $39 billion this year according to the Organic Trade Association.
- From 2000 to 2010, research expenditures for all universities grew about 41 percent.
- The U.S. economy grew at a 2.6 percent annual rate during the second quarter, the nation’s best back-to-back quarterly growth rates in four years, the Commerce Department said Wednesday.
rise - to increase
- Home sales rose 4.9 percent in September.
- After announcing 20 new stores to open in the spring, Costco’s stock rose 3.4% today.
- Children’s reading scores are rising around the globe.
jump - to increase quickly
- Mobile fast-food payments jumped over 70% over the past year.
- Sunshine Tropical Cruises Ltd. shares jumped 3% before closing Thursday.
- Grocery delivery sales jumped 23% during the month of January.
boost - to increase, support
"Boost" can also be used as a noun.
verb:
- Sales in solar powered lamps have been boosted by growing support for renewable energy products.
- The investor group boosted its position in shares of Apple by 326% during the third quarter.
- Measures of molecules showed that the extract boosted levels of the synaptic protein ApoER2.
noun:
- Miami high school students will get a boost in college advising thanks to a $9 million grant from the Dream Foundation.
- Fairfield experienced a boost in home sales over the past three months.
- Secretary of Transportation Claire Shaw today announced a boost in road safety funding.
surge - to increase quickly
verb:
- The demand for highly qualified data scientists has surged across many industries.
- The company’s stock surged last month after it reported record revenue in June.
- Reports of near crashes between drones and plans have surged since the beginning of the year.
noun:
- There was a surge in hotel construction along the west cost of the state.
- As the cold front travelled across the region, there was a surge in heating fuel demand.
- The movie awakened an extraordinary surge of interest in sailing, with sailboat rentals increasing 12% since the movie’s release.
expand - to increase in many or all directions
- The company plans to expand its market reach to neighboring countries.
- Mitsui Chemicals will expand its production of rubber chemicals.
- Washington College is expanding its course offerings to include 3 new biotechnology courses in the fall.
balloon - to increase quickly
Note: "Balloon" can also indicate an increase in many directions, not just in one upward direction.
- The month before she graduated, his debt ballooned to more than $75,000, which included student loans and credit card bills.
- The beautiful island had 95,000 visitors in 2010, which ballooned to 340,000 in 2016.
- Enrollment in Python certification classes ballooned this past fall.
mushroom - to increase quickly
- Bike-sharing services have mushroomed in several big cities in China.
- The number of attendees mushroomed overnight to more than 3,000.
- 1970s-themed restaurants are mushrooming across the region.
skyrocket - to increase quickly
- He noted that the market for single-family homes in Maysville has skyrocketed, with prices for them jumping 23 percent over the past 4 years.
- Founded in 1991, the Slovenian pop music group skyrocketed to fame after they began touring to support their album, “Waves of Wonder.”
- As consumers are becoming more environmentally conscious, the demand for clothing made from recycled fabric is skyrocketing.
inch up - to increase slowly
- Tesla’s shares inched up 0.11 percent to close at $335.49 on Wednesday.
- Texas high school test scores inched up this year after more teachers were hired and class sizes reduced.
- “As a result of the tougher conservation regulations, the whale population is inching up, “ said researcher Monica Gray of Penn State University.
creep up - to increase slowly
- The researchers found that as air pollution levels crept up, so did the likelihood that a young adult would have a higher score on the misbehavior scale.
- Earnings crept up to $19.4 million from $19.1 million last year.
- Her work hours crept up to over 70 hours a week, making it impossible to have a healthy work-life balance.
