grow
[verb]
Synonyms:
- increase, develop, enlarge, expand, get bigger, multiply, spread, stretch, swell
- originate, arise, issue, spring, stem
- improve, advance, flourish, progress, prosper, succeed, thrive
- become, come to be, get, turn
- cultivate, breed, farm, nurture, produce, propagate, raise

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Related Words: care (for), foster, nurse, nurture, rear, tend

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English Thesaurus: become, get, go, turn, grow, ...

[TahlilGaran] English Synonym Dictionary ▲

grow S1 W1 /ɡrəʊ $ ɡroʊ/ verb (past tense grew /ɡruː/, past participle grown /ɡrəʊn $ ɡroʊn/)
[Word Family: noun: grower, growth, undergrowth, outgrowth, overgrowth; adjective: growing, grown, overgrown; verb: grow, outgrow]
[Language: Old English; Origin: growan]

1. INCREASE
a) [intransitive] to increase in amount, size, number, or strength Antonym : shrink:
Support for Mr Thompson is growing.
grow by
Sales of new cars grew by 10% last year.
grow from/to
The number of students at the college has grown from 200 to over 500.
A growing number of people are taking part-time jobs.
grow rapidly/slowly/steadily
The economy has grown steadily.
Fears are growing for the crew’s safety.
grow in
a city that is still growing in size
Skiing has really grown in popularity.
There is growing concern about climate change.
my growing interest in China
b) [transitive] to make a business or part of a business bigger and more successful:
We want to grow the export side of the business.

REGISTER
In everyday English, people usually say an amount or level goes up rather than grows:
Sales went up by 10% last year.
The population of the town has gone up to almost a million.

2. PERSON/ANIMAL [intransitive] to become bigger, taller etc over a period of time in the process of becoming an adult Antonym : shrink:
You’ve really grown since I last saw you.
Victor seemed to grow taller every day.
grow 2 inches/5 cm etc
Stan grew two inches in six months.

3. PLANTS
a) [intransitive] if plants grow, they exist and develop in a natural way:
a tree which will grow well in most types of soil
The plants grow wild (=grow without anyone looking after them) by the river.
b) [transitive] to make plants or crops develop and produce fruit or flowers ⇒ raise:
Many families own plots of land to grow food.
Britain grows 6,000,000 tonnes of potatoes a year.
The growing season is from April to September.

4. HAIR/NAILS
a) [transitive] if you grow your hair or nails, you do not cut them:
I’ve decided to grow my hair long.
grow a beard/moustache
b) [intransitive] when hair or nails grow, they become longer

5. BECOME
a) [I always + adj] to change and become different quite slowly:
The sound was growing louder.
Her tastes have changed as she’s grown older.
Donna has grown tired of being a model.
Gradually, Fiona’s eyes grew used to the darkness (=she gradually became able to see a little better).
b) [intransitive] to gradually change your opinions and have a feeling that you did not have before
grow to like/hate/respect etc
After a while the kids grew to like Mr Cox.
the city he had grown to love

REGISTER
In everyday English, people usually say get older/tired/angry etc rather than grow older/tired/angry etc, which sounds rather literary:
The sound was getting louder.

6. IMPROVE [intransitive] to gradually become better, bigger etc
grow as
She’s grown tremendously as a musician.

7. it/money doesn’t grow on trees spoken used to say that you should not waste money
grow apart phrasal verb
if two people grow apart, their relationship becomes less close:
The couple had been growing apart for years.
grow into somebody/something phrasal verb

1. to develop over time and become a particular kind of person or thing:
Sue grew into a lovely young woman.
The two-part show has grown into a full-fledged series.

2. to gradually learn how to do a job or deal with a situation successfully:
She will grow into her new role over the next few months.

3. if a child grows into clothes, he or she becomes big enough to wear them
grow on somebody phrasal verb
if something grows on you, you gradually like it more and more:
I hated his music at first, but it grows on you.
grow out phrasal verb
if you grow out a hairstyle, or if it grows out, you gradually grow your hair until the style disappears
grow something ↔ out
I’m growing my fringe out.
grow out of something phrasal verb

1. if a child grows out of clothes, he or she becomes too big to wear them Synonym : outgrow

2. if someone grows out of something, they stop doing it as they get older Synonym : outgrow:
Mike finally seems to be growing out of his rebelliousness.

3. to develop or happen as a result of something else that happened or existed:
His art grew out of his love of nature.
legislation which grew out of concern over the increasing crime rate
grow up phrasal verb

1. to develop from being a child to being an adult:
What do you want to be when you grow up?
I grew up in Chicago.

2. grow up! spoken used to tell someone to behave in a more responsible way, like an adult

3. to start to exist or develop gradually:
Trading settlements grew up by the river.

[TahlilGaran] Dictionary of Contemporary English ▲

grow
verb
I. increase
ADV. fast, quickly, rapidly | slowly | steadily | exponentially Well before a billionth of a second had elapsed the universe started to grow exponentially.
VERB + GROW seem to | begin to, start to | continue to | be expected to
PREP. by Profits are expected to grow by 10% next year.
from Her media empire grew from quite small beginnings.
in She continued to grow in confidence
into The village grew into a town.

[TahlilGaran] Collocations Dictionary ▲

grow
II. of a person/animal
ADV. fast, quickly, rapidly | slowly
PREP. into The small puppy quickly grew into a very large dog.

[TahlilGaran] Collocations Dictionary ▲

grow
III. of plants/hair
ADV. well Tomatoes grow best in direct sunlight.
fast, quickly, rapidly | slowly | steadily | thickly the nettles that grew thickly round the boathouse
outwards, upwards As the island subsided the reef grew upwards and outwards.
VERB + GROW allow sth to, let sth She decided to let her hair grow.
PREP. from The tree grew from a small acorn.
into Small acorns grow into great oak trees.
PHRASES grow unchecked A rose in full bloom had been allowed to grow unchecked up one of the walls.

[TahlilGaran] Collocations Dictionary ▲

grow
IV. make plants grow
ADV. organically organically grown produce
VERB + GROW be easy to an attractive plant which is very hardy and easy to grow

[TahlilGaran] Collocations Dictionary ▲

grow
verb
1.
BAD: Many of these children grow in an atmosphere of violence.
GOOD: Many of these children grow up in an atmosphere of violence.

Usage Note:
grow = (1) (of children, animals, plants etc) develop or get bigger as part of a natural process: 'Mary's little boy grew four centimetres last year.' 'Orchids don't grow in cold climates.' (2) cause plants, vegetables etc to do this by taking care of them: 'In the back garden we grow onions, potatoes and carrots.'
grow up = (of children) pass from childhood into maturity: 'Of course I know him - we grew up together in New York.' 'Tom wants to be a scientist when he grows up.'

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2.
BAD: Some parents need to be taught how to grow their children.
GOOD: Some parents need to be taught how to bring up their children.

Usage Note:
bring up (or raise ) = look after children until they are old enough to leave home, teaching them how to behave and what to think about the world: 'He was brought up to believe that men and women are equal.'

[TahlilGaran] Dictionary of Common Errors ▲

become to start to have a feeling or quality, or to start to develop into something:
His parents became worried when he was late home from school.
Violent crime is becoming a major problem.
She became more confident when she joined a drama group.
get to start to have a feeling or quality. Get is less formal than become and is much more commonly used in everyday English:
I was getting very tired.
Make sure you’re home before it gets dark.
go to become something – used about things becoming a different colour, or things or people becoming worse in some way:
Her hair was going grey.
He went blind.
I think I’m going mad.
turn to become something – used about things becoming a different colour, or the weather or people’s behaviour changing:
The water had turned bright green.
The weather is expected to turn cold again.
He suddenly turned nasty.
grow especially written to gradually become something:
People were growing impatient.
The rich grew richer.
come undone/loose/apart to become undone, loose, or separated into pieces:
The screws had come loose.
change into something to become something completely different:
The caterpillar changed into a beautiful butterfly.

[TahlilGaran] English Thesaurus ▲

increase to become larger in number, amount, or degree:
Sales increased by 25%.
The level of violence has increased.
go up to increase. Go up is less formal than increase, and is the usual verb to use in everyday English:
The price of coffee has gone up.
rise to increase. Rise sounds a little formal and is often used when talking about the level of something increasing:
The demand for oil has been rising steadily.
Living standards have risen dramatically.
grow to increase, especially gradually over a period of time – used about numbers or amounts:
Since 1990, US imports of foreign goods have grown at a rate of 7.7% per year.
The number of people working from home has grown substantially.
escalate to increase to a high level – used about things that you do not want to increase such as costs, crimes, or violence:
Fuel prices are escalating.
The fighting has escalated.
double/triple to become twice as much or three times as much:
Since 1950, the number of people dying from cancer has almost doubled.
The company’s profits tripled last quarter.
expand to become larger in size, or to include a wider range of activities:
The business has expanded at a rate of 15% per year.
We are hoping to expand into mobile phone services.
soar to increase and reach a very high level – used about numbers and amounts, or about feelings:
The temperature soared to 36.6 degrees centigrade.
His confidence soared.
The singer’s popularity has soared.
shoot up to increase very quickly and suddenly – used about prices, numbers, or temperatures:
Share prices shot up 30% over the last week.
put something up to increase prices, taxes etc. Put up something is less formal than increase, and is the usual verb to use in everyday English:
The landlord has put the rent up again.
They’re always putting up gas prices.
raise to increase something such as prices or taxes, or levels or standards:
The bank has raised interest rates for the third time this year.
The school aims to raise students’ levels of achievement.
boost to increase sales, profits, production etc, especially when they have been lower than you want them to be:
Growing affluence has boosted sales.
Oil exports boosted the economy.
extend to increase something such as your power or influence, or the number of things you are involved in:
We are hoping to extend the range of services that we offer.
The company plans to extend its dominance of the world car market.
step up something to increase your efforts or activities, especially to change a situation:
Security has been stepped up following the bombing.
Local people have stepped up their campaign to prevent a prison being built in their neighbourhood.
heighten to increase a feeling or effect:
The attack has heightened concerns about racism in schools.
Hunger can heighten the effect that alcohol has on you.
maximize to increase something as much as possible:
Businesses try to maximize efficiency and cut costs.
To maximize the chances of a successful pregnancy, you should make sure that you eat well.
big/large
The company has announced a big increase in its profits for last year.
slight/small
Doctors have reported a slight increase in the number of deaths caused by the disease.
The temperature increase was quite small.
great (=big)
There has been a great increase in air traffic in the last twenty years.
huge/massive (=very big)
There was a huge increase in emigration after the war.
substantial/considerable formal (=quite big)
He negotiated a substantial increase in pay for the workers.
significant/marked (=definite and noticeable)
Over the last few years, there has been a marked increase in tourism to developing countries.
dramatic/sharp (=large and sudden)
What has led to this dramatic increase in prices?
rapid (=happening quickly)
Recently there has been a rapid increase in fish farming.
modest (=small)
The figures reveal a modest increase in the birth rate.
gradual (=happening slowly)
Her temperature chart showed a gradual increase over the preceding six hours.
steady (=happening slowly but continuously)
The university has benefited from a steady increase in student numbers.
a threefold/fourfold/fivefold etc increase (=an increase by three, four etc times)
The figures show a threefold increase in incidents of car theft.
a 10%/50% etc increase
A 5% increase in petrol prices is predicted.
an annual increase
The company reported a 10% increase in pre-tax profits.
lead to an increase
They argue that the abolition of the death penalty has led to an increase in the number of murders.
cause/bring about an increase
The heatwave brought about a massive increase in water consumption.
a price increase
We expect a price increase of 1.4% this year.
a fare increase
The airline instituted a 10% fare increase.
a wage/pay/salary increase
Canadian workers received a 5.4% wage increase.
a tax increase
The government had no choice but to impose a tax increase.
be on the increase (=be increasing)
Knife attacks are on the increase.
the rate of increase
The rate of increase in the number of violent crimes is much higher than under the previous government.
growth noun [singular, uncountable] an increase in the number, size, or importance of something. Growth is also used when saying that a company or a country’s economy becomes more successful:
The astonishing growth of the Internet has had a dramatic effect on people’s lives.
Japan experienced a period of rapid economic growth.
Many people are concerned about the enormous growth in the world’s population.
surge noun [countable usually singular] a sudden increase in something such as profits, demand, or interest:
There has been a big surge in demand for organically grown food.
We have seen a tremendous surge of interest in Chinese medicine.
gain noun [uncountable and countable] an increase in the amount or level of something - used especially in business or political contexts, or when talking about an increase in someone’s weight:
sales gains
The December job figures show a net gain of 81,000 jobs.
The party has experienced a gain in popularity.
The amount of weight gain during pregnancy varies.
hike noun [countable] informal especially American English a large or sudden increase in prices or taxes - often used in newspaper reports:
Despite a 25% hike in fuel costs, the airline made a profit last year.
tax hikes
wage hikes
explosion noun [countable] a sudden very large increase in the amount or number of something:
There has been an explosion in the number of fast food restaurants.
The country experienced a population explosion.
The book caused an explosion of interest in Renaissance Italy.
boom noun [singular] a sudden large increase in trade, profits or sales, with the result that a country, company, or industry becomes very successful. Boom is also used about a sudden increase in interest in something, with the result that it becomes very popular:
the German economic boom of the 1960s
the Internet boom
There has been a boom in sales of diet books and videos.

[TahlilGaran] English Thesaurus ▲

grow
ɡrəu
See: great oaks prom little acorns grow , let grass grow under one's feet

[TahlilGaran] English Idioms Dictionary ▲