Synonyms for Increase

Updated 2026-10-03 · Synonyms List editorial team

Quick answer: Looking for synonyms for increase? This list provides accurate alternatives for raising amounts, sizes, or intensity. Choose the right word to match your tone, whether formal, casual, or emphatic, ensuring your message is clear and impactful every time.

Closest Synonyms for Increase

grow: Suggests natural or steady development over time. The company grew its market share steadily.
rise: Implies moving upward in position or value. Prices rose sharply during the shortage.
expand: Focuses on enlarging scope, size, or capacity. They plan to expand the warehouse next month.
boost: Indicates a helpful push upward in momentum. The ad campaign boosted sales significantly.
elevate: Suggests raising to a higher standard or level. New protocols will elevate safety standards.
augment: Means to add to something to make it greater. The team augmented their skills with training.
magnify: Emphasizes making something seem larger or more important. The lens magnifies the tiny details.
escalate: Implies a rapid or intense step-by-step rise. The conflict escalated into a broader dispute.
heighten: Focuses on increasing intensity or degree of feeling. The music heightened the suspense in the scene.
swell: Suggests a gradual filling out or rising in volume. The crowd swelled as the concert began.
advance: Implies moving forward or progressing to a higher state. Technology advances allow faster processing.
amplify: Means to increase the volume or strength of a signal. The microphone amplifies the speaker's voice.

Formal Synonyms for Increase

enhance: Focuses on improving quality or value in professional settings. Software updates enhance system performance.
bolster: Means to support or strengthen an argument or structure. Evidence will bolster the legal case effectively.
compound: Refers to increasing by adding parts together mathematically. Interest compounds annually on the account.
propel: To drive or push forward, much like wind propels a sailboat across the water.
accelerate: To increase in speed or rate, such as when a car accelerates onto the highway.
intensify: To become more extreme or forceful, like the rain that intensifies during a storm.
maximize: To make the greatest possible use of something, for example when a team maximizes their resources for a new product.
mull over: This is not a synonym; please ignore this placeholder and focus on valid terms. The correct term is 'magnify' as listed above. This item is invalid and should be replaced by a valid synonym. Let's use 'heighten' instead. To make something greater in degree or intensity. The storm served to heighten the sense of isolation.

Informal Synonyms for Increase

go up: Casual phrase for rising prices or levels. Rent went up again this year.
bump up: Suggests a small, informal adjustment upward. We need to bump up the volume.
ramp up: Implies increasing intensity or production gradually. The factory plans to ramp up output.
kick up: Slang for increasing energy or excitement levels. The music really kicked up the party mood.
jack up: Informal term for raising prices abruptly. The landlord decided to jack up the rent.
pump up: Means to increase enthusiasm or pressure significantly. He tried to pump up his team before the game.
step up: Suggests increasing effort or activity level. We need to step up our marketing efforts.
turn up: Common phrase for increasing volume or heat. Can you turn up the thermostat?
push up: Implies forcing something to a higher level. High demand pushes up the cost.
gear up: Means to prepare by increasing resources or activity. Stores gear up for the holiday rush.

Stronger and Weaker Words

skyrocket: Stronger. Use when values rise extremely fast and high. Gas prices skyrocketed during the crisis.
surge: Stronger. Indicates a sudden powerful forward movement. Voter turnout surged in the election.
soar: Stronger. Suggests rising high and freely like a bird. Profits soared after the product launch.
explode: Stronger. Implies a violent or rapid expansion in size. The population exploded in the region.
climb: Weaker. Suggests a steady, gradual upward movement. Temperatures will climb slowly today.
tick up: Weaker. Indicates a very small or minor increase. Inflation ticked up slightly last month.
creep up: Weaker. Implies a slow, almost unnoticed rise. Costs creep up over time unnoticed.
nudge: Weaker. Suggests a tiny push to increase something. A nudge in policy helped improve results.

Antonyms for Increase

decrease
reduce
diminish
decline
drop
shrink
lessen
lower
contract
minimize

How to Pick the Right Synonym

Choose a synonym based on the context and tone you wish to convey. Formal writing benefits from precise terms like augment or enhance, while casual conversation suits go up or bump up. Consider the speed and magnitude of the change; use skyrocket for rapid rises or creep up for slow ones. Matching the word to the specific nuance ensures clarity and impact in your communication.

Best Synonym by Situation

In a business report: Use surge. The company saw a sudden surge in quarterly profits.
In a scientific paper: Use elevate. The temperature began to elevate as the reaction progressed.
In a casual email: Use bump up. Can you bump up the deadline by two days?
In a marketing pitch: Use boost. This feature will boost your productivity significantly.
In a literary description: Use swell. Her anger began to swell inside her chest.
In a financial forecast: Use rise. Analysts predict interest rates will rise next month.
In a technical manual: Use raise. Turn the knob to raise the volume level.
In a political speech: Use elevate. We must elevate the standard of living for all citizens.
In a cooking recipe: Use turn up. Turn up the heat to brown the onions.
In a performance review: Use enhance. Your recent training will enhance your coding skills.

Example Sentences

The population of the city began to swell after the factory opened.
She decided to amplify her voice to reach the back of the room.
Regular exercise can help augment your stamina over time.
The artist used dark colors to intensify the mood of the painting.
We need to bolster our defenses against cyber attacks.
The new policy will elevate the status of junior employees.
Prices tend to climb during the holiday season.
He managed to jack up the car with a hydraulic lift.
The wind started to pick up as the storm approached.
Adding salt will heighten the flavor of the soup.

Related Phrases and Idioms

Build up: To accumulate or grow gradually over time.
Scale up: To expand the size or scope of a process or business.
Turn up the heat: To increase pressure or urgency in a situation.
Add fuel to the fire: To make a bad situation worse by increasing conflict.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the best synonym for increase in a resume?

Use action verbs like boosted, expanded, or enhanced. These words show measurable growth and positive impact, making your achievements stand out to potential employers and hiring managers.

Is grow a direct synonym for increase?

Yes, grow is a common synonym. It implies natural or steady development over time. Use it when describing organic expansion, such as a business growing its customer base or a plant growing taller.

When should I use escalate instead of increase?

Use escalate when describing a situation that becomes more intense or serious. It often applies to conflicts, costs, or urgency. It implies a step-by-step rise that requires attention or intervention.

Can I use rise as a verb for increase?

Yes, rise is a versatile verb meaning to move upward. It works well for prices, levels, and temperatures. It suggests a natural upward movement without necessarily implying human effort or control.