increase

When something increases, it goes up.

• The air temperature usually increases during the day. (In this sentence, "increase" is a verb.)
• There was a sudden increase in temperature. (This sentence uses "increase" as a noun.)
• Increased speeds on the highway are responsible for the rise in traffic accidents. (This sentence uses "increase" as an adjective.)
• Sergey’s chances of getting the job he wants are increasing. (present continuous tense verb)
• Banks blame homeowners for the increase in foreclosures. (noun)
• The company’s main goal this year is to increase sales. (infinitive)
• Increasing sales is their main goal. (gerund)
• Maria noticed a slight increase in her paycheck. (noun)
• Her ability to speak in English is increasing. (present continous tense verb)

Note: This is a very common word to use when reporting on numbers and statistics.

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This page was first published on June 18, 2012. It was updated on February 9, 2016.