raise 1 of 2

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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

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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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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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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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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raise

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noun

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

Examples of raise in a Sentence

These examples are automatically compiled from online sources to illustrate current usage. Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Recent Examples on the Web
Verb
Many politicians and pundits around the world have raised the alarm in recent years about declining fertility rates. Vegard Skirbekk, Foreign Affairs, 6 Nov. 2024 Mission Viejo voters are opposing by more than 53% the city’s request to increase to 12% the transient occupancy tax collected on hotel and other lodging stays to raise revenue for city coffers. Heather McRea, Orange County Register, 6 Nov. 2024
Noun
The International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers (IAM) said 59% of the more than 26,000 of its voting members approved Boeing's fourth offer, which includes a 38% raise over four years plus a $12,000 signing bonus and other benefits. Peter Weber, theweek, 5 Nov. 2024 Boeing's latest offer includes a 38% wage increase spread over four years, up slightly from a 35% raise in a proposal that was rejected by around two-thirds of the 33,000 striking machinists in a vote 12 days ago. Dan Catchpole and Allison Lampert, USA TODAY, 4 Nov. 2024 See all Example Sentences for raise 
Recent Examples of Synonyms for raise
Verb
  • True lilies don’t need to be lifted in the fall and can stay in the ground.
    Lauren David, Better Homes & Gardens, 5 Nov. 2024
  • Palantir’s revenue grew 30% on a year-over-year basis and the company lifted its forecast for the full year.
    Brian Evans, CNBC, 5 Nov. 2024
Verb
  • For hers and other nearby communities, the melting of the glaciers is a practical catastrophe: The snowy mountains provide water for drinking and agriculture, and also foster a tourist economy.
    New York Times, New York Times, 4 Nov. 2024
  • Repeated visualization helps to rewire the brain, fostering a self-image aligned with one's aspirations.
    David Faris, Newsweek, 4 Nov. 2024
Verb
  • Even the hypothetical secession of Texas might fall short of provoking civil war.
    Charles Bethea, The New Yorker, 4 Nov. 2024
  • Being identified as the guy who uttered a homophobic slur at Kelce in hopes of provoking a reaction won’t produce a good search result when prospective employers Google him one day.
    Michael McCann, Sportico.com, 3 Nov. 2024
Verb
  • What better place to abscond to than your grandparents’ bougie house, a place where the mere mention of your mother’s name elicits automatic rage?
    Rafaela Bassili, Vulture, 11 Nov. 2024
  • And second, experimentalists have grown more capable of eliciting and measuring quantum phenomena.
    Charlie Wood, Quanta Magazine, 30 Oct. 2024
Verb
  • Two months ago, the last of the four decades-old hydroelectric dams along the Klamath River targeted for removal were taken down — opening the river to salmon that had been spawning in those waters for thousands of years before the dams were erected for electrical power.
    Susanne Rust, Los Angeles Times, 22 Oct. 2024
  • Various practices became associated with Advent, including lighting an Advent wreath, erecting a Christmas tree, and putting out Christmas decorations.
    Joseph V Micallef, Forbes, 17 Oct. 2024
Verb
  • By the end of the first quarter, Stanford built a 22-point lead.
    Justice delos Santos, The Mercury News, 10 Nov. 2024
  • Biking to Chouinard’s home, Caldwell quickly realized how many of the original houses in Jackson had been scraped to build mansions.
    Jayme Moye, Outside Online, 8 Nov. 2024
Verb
  • Those arguments have been repeated by a small but growing number of online detractors.
    Nate Jones, Vulture, 9 Nov. 2024
  • As its impacts grow more visible and destructive, how is this possible? Views of Hurricane Milton’s damage across Florida.
    Discover Magazine, Discover Magazine, 8 Nov. 2024
Verb
  • Weight-bearing exercises, such as brisk walking, jogging, and dancing, are great for increasing bone density.
    Jianying Zhang, Discover Magazine, 8 Nov. 2024
  • Her two top priorities for the district are fiscal transparency and increasing test scores.
    Hanna Kang, Orange County Register, 6 Nov. 2024

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Cite this Entry

“Raise.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/raise. Accessed 19 Nov. 2024.

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