Grow — Meaning, Definition & Synonyms

verb /ˈgrō/

Meaning & Definition of Grow

Grow (verb)

  1. to develop to maturity, to undergo development; specifically, to develop and pass through childhood into adulthood
  2. to be able to exist and develop in some place or situation
  3. to assume some relation through or as if through a process of natural growth

Grow (verb) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

  1. to look after or assist the growth of by labor and care

    "a dedicated home gardener who grows tomatoes in her small garden every summer"

    similar: crop, cultivate, culture, dress, promote, raise, rear, tend
    related: breed, produce, propagate, plant, sow, gather, glean, harvest, reap, germinate, quicken, ripen, root, sprout
    near: kill, dig, extirpate, pick, pluck, pull (up), uproot, cut, hay, mow

  2. to become mature

    "you've grown so much since we last saw each other"

    similar: age, develop, grow up, mature, progress, ripen
    related: mellow, soften, bloom, blossom, burgeon, flourish, flower, open, unfold, advance, evolve, get along, get on, gray
    near: decay, decline, degenerate, deteriorate, sink, worsen, droop, dry, fade, flag, sag, shrivel, wane, waste (away), weaken, wilt, wither, regress, retrogress, revert, backslide, lapse, return

  3. to eventually have as a state or quality

    "he will grow angry if we don't answer his question"

    similar: become, come, get, go, run, turn, wax
    related: alter, change, metamorphose, modify, mutate, transfigure, transform, transmute
    near: abide, be, continue, linger, remain, stay

Related Entry: Grow (in) (verb)

Grow (in) is a different word from Grow. The synonyms below are for grow (in), not for grow.

  1. to gradually increase in

    "you've grown in wisdom over the years"

    similar: build up, gain, gather, pick up
    related: double (in), triple (in), accrue, accumulate, amass, excite, stimulate, enhance, enlarge, enrich, expand, extend, maximize, boost, elevate, jack (up), mount, ramp (up), step up
    opposite: decrease (in), lose
    near: abate, decline (in), diminish (in), dip, dwindle, fall (in), lessen, taper, taper off

Related Entry: Grow up (verb)

Grow up is a different word from Grow. The synonyms below are for grow up, not for grow.

  1. to become mature

    "everyone has to grow up at some point in their lives"

    similar: age, develop, grow, mature, progress, ripen
    related: mellow, soften, bloom, blossom, burgeon, flourish, flower, open, unfold, advance, evolve, get along, get on, gray
    near: decay, decline, degenerate, deteriorate, sink, worsen, droop, dry, fade, flag, sag, shrivel, wane, waste (away), weaken, wilt, wither, regress, retrogress, revert, backslide, lapse, return

Synonyms, Thesaurus & Another Word for Grow

The most common words with a similar meaning to Grow:

crop, cultivate, culture, dress, promote, raise, rear, tend, age, develop, grow up, mature, progress, ripen, become, come, get, go, run, turn, wax

Related Words for Grow

breed, produce, propagate, plant, sow, gather, glean, harvest, reap, germinate, quicken, root, sprout, mellow, soften, bloom, blossom, burgeon, flourish, flower, open, unfold, advance, evolve, get along, get on, gray, alter, change, metamorphose

Near Antonyms of Grow

kill, dig, extirpate, pick, pluck, pull (up), uproot, cut, hay, mow, decay, decline, degenerate, deteriorate, sink, worsen, droop, dry, fade, flag, sag, shrivel, wane, waste (away), weaken, wilt, wither, regress, retrogress, revert

Word Forms of Grow

Inflections: grew, grown, growing

Derived words: grower (noun), growingly (adverb)

Origin & Etymology of Grow

Middle English, from Old English grōwan; akin to Old High German gruowan to grow

First known use: before 12th centuryi

Vocabulary Lists & Topics for Grow

  • Topics: Common Actions / Verbs

Words & Phrases Containing Grow

grow apart, grow on, grow out, grow out of, grow up, grow from, grow into, grow like a weed

Frequently Asked Questions about Grow

What does "Grow" mean?

"Grow" means to develop to maturity, to undergo development; specifically, to develop and pass through childhood into adulthood. As a verb, it is defined as: to develop to maturity, to undergo development; specifically, to develop and pass through childhood into adulthood. It has 3 distinct senses.

What is another word for "Grow"?

Other words for "Grow" include crop, cultivate, culture, dress, promote, raise, rear and tend. The best synonym depends on which meaning of "Grow" you intend.

What are different ways to say "Grow"?

There are 56 words and phrases with a similar meaning to "Grow". Common alternatives include crop, cultivate, culture, dress, promote, raise, rear, tend, age and develop.

How do you use "Grow" in a sentence?

Examples of "Grow" in a sentence: "a dedicated home gardener who grows tomatoes in her small garden every summer"; "you've grown so much since we last saw each other"; "he will grow angry if we don't answer his question".

Is "Grow" a noun, verb, or adjective?

"Grow" is a verb.

How do you pronounce "Grow"?

"Grow" is pronounced /ˈgrō/.

What is the origin of the word "Grow"?

"Grow" comes from Middle English, from Old English grōwan; akin to Old High German gruowan to grow. First known use: before 12th centuryi.

What is another word for "Grow" meaning "to look after or assist the growth of by labor and care"?

When "Grow" (verb) means to look after or assist the growth of by labor and care, synonyms include crop, cultivate, culture, dress, promote and raise.