raise 1 of 2

verb

ˈrāz How to pronounce raise (audio)
Definition of raisenext
1
as in to lift
to move from a lower to a higher place or position he asked members of the audience to raise their hands if they had been to his show before

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to foster
to bring to maturity through care and education since she was only two when her mother died, the girl was raised mainly by her aunt

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3
as in to provoke
to bring (something volatile or intense) into being a proposal to cover the library's red brick with vinyl siding raised a mighty ruckus with those favoring historical preservation

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4
as in to elicit
to draw out (something hidden, latent, or reserved) the lawsuit raised old resentments that had never been completely extinguished

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5
as in to erect
to fix in an upright position the mattress will fit into the moving truck only if we raise it on its side

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6
as in to build
to form by putting together parts or materials raised a memorial on the site of the historic event

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7
as in to grow
to look after or assist the growth of by labor and care raises ducks, geese, and other exotic fowl ultimately destined for the dinner table

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8
as in to increase
to make greater in size, amount, or number the multiplex raised the ticket price

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9
as in to promote
to move higher in rank or position he was recently raised to lieutenant in the fire department

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10
as in to introduce
to present or bring forward for discussion one member of the tour raised the subject of appropriate attire for visits to sacred sites in the Holy Land

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11
as in to express
to make known (as an idea, emotion, or opinion) too afraid to raise an objection

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raise

2 of 2

noun

as in increase
something added (as by growth) the school board approved a raise in the maximum family income for students qualifying for reduced-price lunches

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Synonym Chooser

How does the verb raise contrast with its synonyms?

Some common synonyms of raise are boost, elevate, heave, hoist, lift, and rear. While all these words mean "to move from a lower to a higher place or position," raise carries a stronger implication of bringing up to the vertical or to a high position.

scouts raising a flagpole

In what contexts can boost take the place of raise?

The synonyms boost and raise are sometimes interchangeable, but boost suggests assisting to climb or advance by a push.

boosted his brother over the fence

How does the word elevate relate to other synonyms for raise?

Elevate may replace lift or raise especially when exalting or enhancing is implied.

elevated the taste of the public

When might heave be a better fit than raise?

In some situations, the words heave and raise are roughly equivalent. However, heave implies lifting and throwing with great effort or strain.

heaved the heavy crate inside

When could hoist be used to replace raise?

The words hoist and raise can be used in similar contexts, but hoist implies lifting something heavy especially by mechanical means.

hoisted the cargo on board

When is it sensible to use lift instead of raise?

Although the words lift and raise have much in common, lift usually implies exerting effort to overcome resistance of weight.

lift the chair while I vacuum

How do rear and raise relate to one another?

Rear may add an element of suddenness to raise.

suddenly reared itself up on its hind legs

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of raise
Verb
Bonilla, who was born and raised in the Bronx, said spending a lot of money as a player was never a big deal for him. —Barry M. Bloom, Sportico.com, 1 July 2025 The page so far has raised $1,435 with a goal of reaching $10,000 to cover funeral costs. —Escher Walcott, People.com, 1 July 2025
Noun
As part of the trade, Ramsey will get a $1.5 million raise this season, increasing his salary to $26.6 million, and the Dolphins agreed to pay $7 million of that total salary. —Barry Jackson, Miami Herald, 30 June 2025 State workers will get a 2% raise in the coming fiscal year. —Jeffrey Schweers, The Orlando Sentinel, 30 June 2025 See All Example Sentences for raise
Recent Examples of Synonyms for raise
  1. lift
  2. foster
  3. provoke
  4. elicit
  5. erect
  6. build
  7. grow
  8. increase
Verb
  • The Supreme Court on Tuesday lifted a federal judge's order pausing the Trump administration's large-scale staffing cuts and agency restructuring.
    — Rebecca Morin, USA Today, 10 July 2025
  • He is further accused of ordering the presidential security service to obscure communication records from secure phones used afte the martial law was lifted.
    — Yoonjung Seo, CNN Money, 10 July 2025
Definition of lift
Verb
  • But what’s needed is a place to truly foster and nurture those connections.
    — Briah Lumpkins, Charlotte Observer, 8 July 2025
  • By taking these steps, your recommendation will effectively showcase your nephew's potential while upholding the integrity of the hiring process and fostering workplace harmony.
    — Johnny C. Taylor Jr, USA Today, 8 July 2025
Definition of foster
Verb
  • Run adversarial simulations, employ red teams, and commission third-party evaluations that deliberately try to provoke harmful behaviors.
    — Aytekin Tank, Forbes.com, 8 July 2025
  • Don't run away or climb a tree, which may provoke a chase.
    — Kaycee Sloan, The Enquirer, 8 July 2025
Definition of provoke
Verb
  • Throughout the trial's second day, the prosecution, led by Special Prosecutor Shane Young, elicited testimony and evidence against Lawson, 54, who has been charged with conspiracy to commit murder and tampering with physical evidence.
    — Killian Baarlaer, The Courier-Journal, 2 July 2025
  • The 23andMe bankruptcy earlier this year elicited fears about the security of genetic data belonging to the company's roughly 15 million customers.
    — Max Zahn, ABC News, 1 July 2025
Definition of elicit
Verb
  • Singularity or not, Silicon Valley has already erected a parallel universe.
    — Matteo Wong, The Atlantic, 8 July 2025
  • The structures are erected every morning and disassembled every night.
    — Dado Galdieri, New York Times, 6 July 2025
Definition of erect
Verb
  • Calder nodded to Red Aspen, a Boise cosmetics startup that built a new headquarters on Overland Road in 2022, and JST Manufacturing, a semiconductor equipment manufacturer, which in 2021 consolidated three sites into one near the corner of Franklin and Eagle roads on Meridian’s eastern border.
    — Idaho Statesman, Idaho Statesman, 14 July 2025
  • Some tattoo artists feel like a machine doesn't belong in an industry built on human connection and trust.
    — Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 14 July 2025
Definition of build
Verb
  • And while Disney frequently has strayed outside of Anaheim – building theme parks in places like Florida and France and China – it’s also continued to grow locally.
    — Michael Slaten, Oc Register, 13 July 2025
  • As Trump continues shrinking the government, leaving room for the private economy to grow, folks will work, spend, save and invest more, and things will keep improving — including people’s expectations.
    — E.J. Antoni, Boston Herald, 13 July 2025
Definition of grow
Verb
  • In a LinkedIn post, Farley called for speeding up permitting processes, increasing spending on vocational training, leveraging robotics and augmented reality to help with these spaces and suggested an AmeriCorps-type program for these roles.
    — Breana Noble, Boston Herald, 13 July 2025
  • Under such a scenario, production would rapidly increase as would dollars facilitating same.
    — John Tamny, Forbes.com, 13 July 2025
Definition of increase

Phrases Containing raise

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rainy day
raise
raise Cain
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Cite this Entry

“Raise.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/raise. Accessed 18 Jul. 2025.

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More from Merriam-Webster on raise

Nglish: Translation of raise for Spanish Speakers

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about raise

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