Quick answer: Increase is the neutral word for becoming larger in quantity or degree: Prices increased by 5%. Grow often implies organic, natural, or progressive development over time and is used more widely — for size, quality, skills, and experience: The business has grown steadily. For a fuller definition, see the Cambridge Dictionary entry for ‘increase’.
Comparison Table
| Word | Focus | Scope | Example |
|---|---|---|---|
| increase | quantitative rise | amounts, rates, levels | Unemployment increased last quarter. |
| grow | organic development | size, skills, business, plants | The company grew by 30% last year. |
Understanding Increase
Increase is the standard word for a rise in quantity, rate, level, or degree. It can be used intransitively (something increases on its own) or transitively (someone increases something). It focuses on the numerical or measurable dimension and is common in data, finance, and formal reports. As a noun, it means a rise: “an increase in demand.”
Temperatures increased by two degrees.
The government increased the minimum wage.
There has been an increase in online shopping.
Sales increased by 15% in Q3.
Increase as a Noun
Both increase and growth (the noun of grow) are used in reports. “An increase in prices” focuses on the quantity that went up. “Growth in the sector” suggests ongoing expansion and development.
Understanding Grow
Grow has a broader range of uses. It describes organic expansion — of plants, businesses, populations, skills, and economies. It implies development over time rather than a simple numerical jump. Grow is also transitive in some contexts: “to grow a business.” The noun form is growth.
The population has grown steadily for decades.
She has grown as a professional over the years.
The startup grew rapidly after its product launch.
He grew tomatoes in his garden.
Common Mistakes
✗ She has increased as a professional. (sounds unnatural)
✓ She has grown as a professional.
✗ Costs grew by exactly 4.7%. (possible but unusual for precise figures)
✓ Costs increased by exactly 4.7%. (increase is more natural with exact numbers)
✗ There was a grow in membership.
✓ There was growth in membership. or an increase in membership.
Also compare: Decrease vs Reduce, Develop vs Improve, Rise vs Raise. Browse all confusing word pairs →
Quick Check: Increase or Grow?
Four questions — choose the correct word.
1. “The number of students ___ by 200 last year.” (precise number)
2. “She ___ a lot as a person during her time abroad.”
3. “The government ___ the tax rate.” (deliberate action)
4. “The startup ___ into a multinational company.”
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the difference between increase and grow?
Increase is the neutral word for a rise in quantity or level. Grow implies organic, natural, or progressive development over time and is used for a wider range of subjects including businesses, people, and economies.
Can increase be used intransitively?
Yes. “Prices increased.” / “Temperatures increased overnight.” Increase can also be transitive: “The bank increased interest rates.”
What is the noun form of grow?
The noun is growth: “economic growth,” “population growth.” The noun of increase is increase itself: “an increase in costs.” You cannot say “a grow in costs” — only “growth” or “increase.”
Can grow be used transitively?
Yes. “They grew the company from a startup to a major employer.” / “She grew vegetables in her garden.” This transitive use of grow (for a business) is especially common in business English.
Can I say “the economy grew by 2%”?
Yes. “The economy grew by 2%” and “the economy increased by 2%” are both natural. Grow is actually very common in economic reporting because it implies progressive development.
Can increase describe people’s development?
No. You cannot say “she increased as a person.” For personal development, use grow: “She grew as an artist.” Increase is limited to quantities, rates, and levels.
What is the opposite of increase?
The opposite of increase (verb) is decrease or fall. The opposite of grow is shrink or decline (for organic development) or decrease (for quantity).
Which is more common in IELTS graph descriptions?
Both are very common. Increased is preferred for precise numerical rises: “The figure increased from 20 to 35.” Grew is natural for longer-term trends: “The population grew steadily over the decade.” Using both shows range of vocabulary.
Is “growing” or “increasing” more common in headlines?
Both appear in headlines, but growing is more common for trends: “Growing concerns about inflation.” Increasing is used for more specific rising quantities: “Increasing number of electric cars on UK roads.”
Can plants grow and increase?
Grow is the natural word for plants: “The flowers grew quickly.” You would not normally say “the flowers increased.” Increase might be used for the number of plants: “The number of invasive plants has increased.”