Verb / Noun B1 — Intermediate verb /ɪnˈkriːs/  |  noun /ˈɪnkriːs/

Increase — Definition, Examples & Usage

To become or make greater in amount, size, or number — a word essential for academic, business, and everyday English.

Quick Definition

Verb: To increase means to become larger, higher, or more numerous, or to make something larger, higher, or more numerous.

Noun: An increase is a rise or growth in the amount, level, or number of something. Example: There has been a significant increase in applications.

What Does Increase Mean?

Increase is one of the most frequent words in English, appearing constantly in news reports, academic writing, and professional communication. Its core meaning is straightforward: something goes up or gets bigger. Whether you are describing rising temperatures, growing populations, or higher prices, increase is usually the right word.

The word works as both a verb and a noun, but the stress pattern changes depending on the part of speech. As a verb, the stress falls on the second syllable — in-CREASE /ɪnˈkriːs/. As a noun, it shifts to the first — IN-crease /ˈɪnkriːs/. This stress shift is a feature of many two-syllable verb/noun pairs in English, including record, permit, and export.

Compared with rise, increase is slightly more formal and more common in written English. Grow implies a sustained organic process over time. Escalate suggests a rapid or alarming rise. Increase is the most versatile of these synonyms and works across all registers.

Etymology: From Latin increscere — in- (into, upon) + crescere (to grow). The same root gives English crescent (the growing phase of the moon), accrue, and crescendo. The verb entered Middle English in the 14th century via Old French encreistre; the noun use followed shortly after.

Example Sentences (A2–C1)

Sentence Level Usage note
Prices increase every year. A2 intransitive verb, simple present
There has been a big increase in the number of students. B1 noun + in + noun phrase
The government plans to increase the minimum wage next April. B1 transitive verb with object
Online shopping has increased significantly over the past decade, driven largely by mobile technology. B2 intransitive, adverb modifier, time phrase
A sustained increase in productivity can only be achieved if companies invest in both technology and staff development. C1 noun pre-modified by adjective; conditional clause

Collocations

Collocation Example
significant increase There has been a significant increase in applications this year.
sharp increase A sharp increase in fuel costs hit consumers hard.
dramatic increase The data showed a dramatic increase in online sales.
slight increase We noticed a slight increase in temperature last week.
steady increase There has been a steady increase in demand over five years.
increase by Profits increased by 12 per cent in the first quarter.
increase in An increase in crime was reported across the region.
lead to an increase Poor harvests can lead to an increase in food prices.
on the increase Levels of anxiety among young people are on the increase.
pay increase Workers are demanding a pay increase to offset rising costs.

Usage Notes

  • Stress shift: Verb — in-CREASE /ɪnˈkriːs/. Noun — IN-crease /ˈɪnkriːs/. Mastering this distinction marks fluent speakers.
  • Increase in vs increase of: Use increase in when naming the thing that rises: an increase in demand. Use increase of when stating the exact amount: an increase of 20%.
  • On the increase: This fixed phrase means currently growing and is common in journalism: Knife crime is on the increase.
  • Increasing vs increasingly: Increasing is an adjective (increasing pressure); increasingly is an adverb (increasingly difficult). Both are high-frequency in academic writing.
  • Register: Increase is neutral to formal. In informal speech, speakers often prefer go up: Prices went up again.

Common Mistakes

Watch Out For

There was an increase of applications.  (wrong preposition)

There was an increase in applications.  (use “in” to name what rose)

The number of visitors increased of 30%.  (wrong preposition)

The number of visitors increased by 30%.  (use “by” for the amount of change)

The government wanted to do an increase in taxes.

The government wanted to increase taxes.  (use the verb directly, not “do an increase”)

Prices are very increase this year.  (“increase” is not an adjective)

Prices are increasing this year.  (use the present participle as adjective/verb)

Related Words

increasing (adj) increasingly (adv) increased (adj) decrease rise growth escalate expand boost reduce decline

Practise This Word

Flash Cards Complete the Sentence Vocabulary Quiz Hangman

Frequently Asked Questions about “increase”

What does increase mean?
Increase means to become larger, greater, or more numerous, or to make something larger. As a noun it refers to the rise itself: ‘a sharp increase in prices’. As a verb: ‘Prices increased by 10%.’ It is one of the most common words in academic and business English.
Is increase a verb or a noun?
Increase can be both a verb and a noun. As a verb (to increase), the stress falls on the second syllable: in-CREASE. As a noun (an increase), the stress shifts to the first syllable: IN-crease. This stress shift is a common feature of English two-syllable verb/noun pairs.
What is the difference between increase and rise?
Both increase and rise mean to become greater. Rise is slightly more neutral and is often used for prices, temperature, and levels. Increase is more versatile and can describe quantities, numbers, and rates. ‘Prices rose’ and ‘Prices increased’ are both correct, but ‘increase’ is more common in formal writing.
How do you use increase as a verb?
Use increase as an intransitive verb (no object): ‘Sales increased last year.’ Or as a transitive verb (with an object): ‘The company increased its prices.’ You can add by + amount: ‘Output increased by 15%.’ Or to + target: ‘The government plans to increase the budget to £5 billion.’
What are common collocations with increase?
Common collocations include: significant increase, sharp increase, dramatic increase, slight increase, steady increase, overall increase. Verb collocations include: lead to an increase, result in an increase, show an increase, see an increase. Always pair increase with in when naming what is rising: ‘an increase in demand’.
What is the opposite of increase?
The main antonyms of increase are decrease, reduce, decline, fall, and drop. As a noun: a decrease, a reduction, a decline, a fall, a drop. Choose the antonym that fits the context: ‘prices fell’ but ‘staff were reduced’; ‘output declined’ but ‘costs dropped’.
What is the noun form of increase?
The noun form is increase itself: ‘an increase in profits’. Other related nouns include increment (a small regular increase), escalation (a sharp or alarming increase), and growth (a sustained increase over time). The adjective form is increased: ‘increased demand’.
How do you pronounce increase as a verb versus a noun?
As a verb the stress is on the second syllable: in-CREASE /ɪnˈkriːs/. As a noun the stress is on the first syllable: IN-crease /ˈɪnkriːs/. This pattern — verb stress on syllable 2, noun stress on syllable 1 — also applies to words such as record, permit, and export.
What is the difference between increase and growth?
Growth usually implies a sustained, organic process over time, often used for economies, populations, and businesses. Increase can describe any rise, even a sudden or one-off change. ‘Economic growth’ describes a long-term trend; ‘an increase in GDP this quarter’ describes a short-term measurement.
How can I practise using increase in English?
Try LexFizz’s Complete the Sentence exercise to practise increase in context, or use the Flash Cards tool to drill the word and its related forms (increased, increasing, increasingly). Reading financial news and academic articles is also excellent practice because increase appears very frequently in those genres.