Grow vs. Growth — What's the Difference?
By Tayyaba Rehman — Updated on January 14, 2024
'Grow' is a verb describing the action or process of development or increase, while 'growth' is a noun referring to the result or state of growing.
Difference Between Grow and Growth
Table of Contents
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Key Differences
'Grow' is used as a verb to depict the process or action of increasing in size, quantity, or significance. In contrast, 'growth' is a noun that describes the state or result of this process, such as physical development, expansion, or increase.
'Grow' implies an active process, for instance, plants grow, businesses grow, or individuals grow in knowledge. 'Growth,' however, denotes the measurable outcome of this process, like the growth of a tree, economic growth, or intellectual growth.
In usage, 'grow' is often followed by an object or complement, such as 'grow a garden' or 'grow stronger.' 'Growth' is used to refer to the extent or nature of development, as in 'population growth' or 'growth in sales.'
'Grow' encompasses various forms of development, including physical, emotional, or economic. 'Growth' can refer to both quantitative and qualitative increases, and it's often used in scientific, economic, and personal development contexts.
Both terms are integral to describing processes of change and development, with 'grow' focusing on the action and 'growth' on the outcome or result.
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Comparison Chart
Part of Speech
Verb
Noun
Usage
Describes the process of increasing
Describes the result or state of increasing
Examples
Plants grow, businesses grow
Population growth, economic growth
Contexts
Physical, emotional, economic development
Measurable outcomes, development results
Forms
Can take different tenses
Can be quantified or qualified
Compare with Definitions
Grow
To increase in size or quantity.
The flowers grow rapidly in the spring.
Growth
An increase or rise in measurable terms.
The report showed significant growth in sales.
Grow
To cultivate or develop something.
They decided to grow their own vegetables.
Growth
The act or process of growing.
The tree's growth was stunted by the drought.
Grow
To expand or increase in scope.
Her small business began to grow rapidly.
Growth
A physical or metaphorical increase.
The growth in her confidence was noticeable.
Grow
(of a living thing) undergo natural development by increasing in size and changing physically
He would watch Nick grow to manhood
Grown men don't act so stupidly
Growth
Development or expansion in various aspects.
The company's growth over the past year was impressive.
Grow
Become larger or greater over a period of time; increase
Turnover grew to more than $100,000 within three years
Growth
The process of growing.
Grow
Become gradually or increasingly
Sharing our experiences we grew braver
Growth
Full development; maturity.
Grow
To increase in size by a natural process.
Growth
Development from a lower or simpler to a higher or more complex form; evolution.
Grow
To expand; gain
The business grew under new owners.
Growth
An increase, as in size, number, value, or strength; extension or expansion
Population growth.
Grow
To increase in amount or degree; intensify
The suspense grew.
Growth
Something that grows or has grown
A new growth of grass.
Grow
To develop and reach maturity.
Growth
An abnormal mass of tissue, such as a tumor, growing in or on a living organism.
Grow
To be capable of growth; thrive
A plant that grows in shade.
Growth
A result of growth; a product
Concerns that are a growth of the new responsibilities.
Grow
To become attached by or as if by the process of growth
Tree trunks that had grown together.
Growth
Expected to have or investing in businesses expected to have higher-than-average increases in revenues and returns
A growth stock.
A growth fund.
Grow
To come into existence from a source; spring up
Love that grew from friendship.
Growth
An increase in size, number, value, or strength.
Grow
To come to be by a gradual process or by degrees; become
Grow angry.
Grow closer.
Growth
(economics) economic growth
Growth was dampened by a softening of the global economy in 2001, but picked up in the subsequent years due to strong growth in China.
Grow
To cause to grow; raise
Grow tulips.
Growth
An increase in psychological strength or resilience; an increased ability to overcome adversity.
Struggle, disappointment, and criticism all contribute to a person's growth.
Grow
To allow (something) to develop or increase by a natural process
Grow a beard.
Growth
(biology) The act of growing, getting bigger or higher.
Grow
Usage Problem To cause to increase or expand by concerted effort
Strategies that grew the family business.
Growth
(biology) Something that grows or has grown.
Grow
(ergative) To become larger, to increase in magnitude.
Children grow quickly.
Growth
(pathology) An abnormal mass such as a tumor.
Grow
To undergo growth; to be present somewhere
Apples now grow all over the world.
Growth
The process of growing; the gradual increase of an animal or a vegetable body; the development from a seed, germ, or root, to full size or maturity; increase in size, number, frequency, strength, etc.; augmentation; advancement; production; prevalence or influence; as, the growth of trade; the growth of power; the growth of intemperance. Idle weeds are fast in growth.
Grow
(intransitive) To appear or sprout.
Leaf buds grew on the trees with the advance of spring.
A long tail began to grow from his backside.
Growth
That which has grown or is growing; anything produced; product; consequence; effect; result.
Nature multiplies her fertile growth.
Grow
(intransitive) To develop, to mature.
As I grew throughout adolescence, I came to appreciate many things about human nature.
Growth
(biology) the process of an individual organism growing organically; a purely biological unfolding of events involved in an organism changing gradually from a simple to a more complex level;
He proposed an indicator of osseous development in children
Grow
(transitive) To cause or allow something to become bigger, especially to cultivate plants.
He grows peppers and squash each summer in his garden.
Have you ever grown your hair before?
Growth
A progression from simpler to more complex forms;
The growth of culture
Grow
(copulative) To assume a condition or quality over time.
The boy grew wise as he matured.
The town grew smaller and smaller in the distance as we travelled.
You have grown strong.
Growth
A process of becoming larger or longer or more numerous or more important;
The increase in unemployment
The growth of population
Grow
To become attached or fixed; to adhere.
Growth
Vegetation that has grown;
A growth of trees
The only growth was some salt grass
Grow
To increase in size by a natural and organic process; to increase in bulk by the gradual assimilation of new matter into the living organism; - said of animals and vegetables and their organs.
Growth
The gradual beginning or coming forth;
Figurines presage the emergence of sculpture in Greece
Grow
To increase in any way; to become larger and stronger; to be augmented; to advance; to extend; to wax; to accrue.
Winter began to grow fast on.
Even just the sum that I do owe to youIs growing to me by Antipholus.
Growth
(pathology) an abnormal proliferation of tissue (as in a tumor)
Grow
To spring up and come to maturity in a natural way; to be produced by vegetation; to thrive; to flourish; as, rice grows in warm countries.
Where law faileth, error groweth.
Growth
Something grown or growing;
A growth of hair
Grow
To pass from one state to another; to result as an effect from a cause; to become; as, to grow pale.
For his mindHad grown Suspicion's sanctuary.
Growth
The process of increasing in size or number.
The growth of the city's population has been steady.
Grow
To become attached or fixed; to adhere.
Our knees shall kneel till to the ground they grow.
These wars have grown out of commercial considerations.
Grow
To cause to grow; to cultivate; to produce; as, to grow a crop; to grow wheat, hops, or tobacco.
Grow
Pass into a condition gradually, take on a specific property or attribute; become;
The weather turned nasty
She grew angry
Grow
Become larger, greater, or bigger; expand or gain;
The problem grew too large for me
Her business grew fast
Grow
Increase in size by natural process;
Corn doesn't grow here
In these forests, mushrooms grow under the trees
Grow
Cause to grow or develop;
He grows vegetables in his backyard
Grow
Develop and reach maturity; undergo maturation;
He matured fast
The child grew fast
Grow
Come into existence; take on form or shape;
A new religious movement originated in that country
A love that sprang up from friendship
The idea for the book grew out of a short story
An interesting phenomenon uprose
Grow
Cultivate by growing, often involving improvements by means of agricultural techniques;
The Bordeaux region produces great red wines
They produce good ham in Parma
We grow wheat here
We raise hogs here
Grow
Come to have or undergo a change of (physical features and attributes);
He grew a beard
The patient developed abdominal pains
I got funny spots all over my body
Well-developed breasts
Grow
Grow emotionally or mature;
The child developed beautifully in her new kindergarten
When he spent a summer at camp, the boy grew noticeably and no longer showed some of his old adolescent behavior
Grow
Become attached by or as if by the process of growth;
The tree trunks had grown together
Grow
To undergo physical development.
Children grow quickly in their early years.
Grow
To change or evolve over time.
As he traveled, his perspective on life continued to grow.
Common Curiosities
How is grow used in a business context?
Its used to describe the development or expansion of business activities.
Does growth only refer to living things?
No, growth can refer to both living and non-living entities, like businesses or economies.
Can growth be negative?
Yes, growth can sometimes refer to negative developments, like the growth of a problem.
Can grow be used metaphorically?
Yes, such as in grow your knowledge or grow your skills.
Is growth always a positive outcome?
Not necessarily; it depends on the context. For example, growth in pollution is negative.
How do you measure growth?
Growth can be measured in quantitative terms like percentages or qualitative terms like improvement in quality.
Can growth be physical and non-physical?
Yes, it can refer to physical size or other forms of development like economic growth.
How does grow relate to emotional development?
It can describe the process of developing emotional intelligence or maturity, such as grow in empathy.
What does growth mean in a personal development context?
It refers to the improvement or development of personal skills, character, or abilities.
Is grow always about physical size?
No, grow can refer to various types of development, not just physical size.
Does grow imply a gradual process?
Generally, yes, grow suggests a gradual increase or development.
In gardening, how is grow used?
It refers to the process of cultivating plants, as in grow tomatoes.
Can grow be used in a financial context?
Yes, it can refer to the increase in financial value or wealth, such as grow your investments.
Is growth always intentional?
Not always. Growth can occur naturally or as a result of specific efforts.
Does growth always signify success?
While often associated with success or progress, growth can sometimes occur in less desirable areas, such as the growth of debt or problems.
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Written by
Tayyaba RehmanTayyaba Rehman is a distinguished writer, currently serving as a primary contributor to askdifference.com. As a researcher in semantics and etymology, Tayyaba's passion for the complexity of languages and their distinctions has found a perfect home on the platform. Tayyaba delves into the intricacies of language, distinguishing between commonly confused words and phrases, thereby providing clarity for readers worldwide.
