Raise vs. Grow — What's the Difference?
Edited by Tayyaba Rehman — By Maham Liaqat — Updated on May 2, 2024
"Raise" generally refers to bringing something up or increasing its level, often used for rearing animals or children, whereas "grow" typically implies natural or incremental development, especially in plants or businesses.
Difference Between Raise and Grow
Table of Contents
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Key Differences
"Raise" is actively used to describe the nurturing or elevation of something, such as livestock, children, or funds, while "grow" indicates a more passive process of development, like plants maturing or profits increasing over time.
When you raise animals or children, there is a direct, hands-on involvement in their upbringing and care, whereas growing plants or expanding a business often requires providing the right conditions and then allowing natural processes to occur.
"Raise" can also imply lifting something to a higher position or increasing quantities, like raising a flag or raising the temperature, on the other hand, "grow" is used to describe an increase in size, number, or extent, such as growing a garden or growing wealth.
The term "raise" often connotes an immediate or short-term action with a clear, direct impact, like raising one's hand or voice, whereas "grow" suggests a gradual, ongoing change, such as growing older or more experienced.
In financial contexts, one might raise capital by soliciting funds from investors, which is a targeted, active effort, while growing capital typically involves investment strategies that accrue value over time through market actions and interest accumulation.
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Comparison Chart
Definition
To lift up or increase; nurture actively
To increase or develop naturally or over time
Usage
Animals, children, funds
Plants, businesses, personal attributes
Involvement
Direct and hands-on
Indirect, providing conditions
Time Frame
Immediate to short-term
Gradual, long-term
Example Contexts
Rearing animals, raising a flag
Growing a garden, increasing profits
Compare with Definitions
Raise
To lift something to a higher position.
She raised the window to let in fresh air.
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
Raise
To move to a higher position; elevate
Raised the loads with a crane.
Grow
Become larger or greater over a period of time; increase
Turnover grew to more than $100,000 within three years
Raise
To set in an upright or erect position
Raise a flagpole.
Grow
Become gradually or increasingly
Sharing our experiences we grew braver
Raise
To erect or build
Raise a new building.
Grow
To increase in size by a natural process.
Raise
To cause to arise, appear, or exist
The slap raised a welt.
Grow
To expand; gain
The business grew under new owners.
Raise
To increase in size, quantity, or worth
Raise an employee's salary.
Grow
To increase in amount or degree; intensify
The suspense grew.
Raise
To increase in intensity, degree, strength, or pitch
Raised his voice.
Grow
To develop and reach maturity.
Raise
To improve in rank or dignity; promote
Raised her to management level.
Grow
To be capable of growth; thrive
A plant that grows in shade.
Raise
To grow, especially in quantity; cultivate
Raise corn and soybeans.
Grow
To become attached by or as if by the process of growth
Tree trunks that had grown together.
Raise
To breed and care for to maturity
Raise cattle.
Grow
To come into existence from a source; spring up
Love that grew from friendship.
Raise
To bring up; rear
Raise children.
Grow
To come to be by a gradual process or by degrees; become
Grow angry.
Grow closer.
Raise
To accustom to something from an early age
"a post-World War II generation raised on shopping malls and multiplex cinemas" (Gustav Niebuhr).
Grow
To cause to grow; raise
Grow tulips.
Raise
To put forward for consideration
Raised an important question. See Synonyms at broach1.
Grow
To allow (something) to develop or increase by a natural process
Grow a beard.
Raise
To voice; utter
Raise a shout.
Grow
Usage Problem To cause to increase or expand by concerted effort
Strategies that grew the family business.
Raise
To awaken; arouse
Noise that would raise the dead.
Grow
(ergative) To become larger, to increase in magnitude.
Children grow quickly.
Raise
To stir up; instigate
Raise a revolt.
Grow
To undergo growth; to be present somewhere
Apples now grow all over the world.
Raise
To bring about; provoke
Remarks intended to raise a laugh.
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.
Raise
To make contact with by radio
Couldn't raise the control tower after midnight.
Grow
(intransitive) To develop, to mature.
As I grew throughout adolescence, I came to appreciate many things about human nature.
Raise
To gather together; collect
Raise money from the neighbors for a charity.
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?
Raise
To cause (dough) to puff up.
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.
Raise
To end (a siege) by withdrawing troops or forcing the enemy troops to withdraw.
Grow
To become attached or fixed; to adhere.
Raise
To remove or withdraw (an order).
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.
Raise
To increase (a poker bet).
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.
Raise
To bet more than (a preceding bettor in poker).
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.
Raise
To increase the bid of (one's bridge partner).
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.
Raise
(Nautical) To bring into sight by approaching nearer
Raised the Cape.
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.
Raise
To alter and increase fraudulently the written value of (a check, for example).
Grow
To cause to grow; to cultivate; to produce; as, to grow a crop; to grow wheat, hops, or tobacco.
Raise
To cough up (phlegm).
Grow
Pass into a condition gradually, take on a specific property or attribute; become;
The weather turned nasty
She grew angry
Raise
(Scots) To make angry; enrage.
Grow
Become larger, greater, or bigger; expand or gain;
The problem grew too large for me
Her business grew fast
Raise
To increase a poker bet or a bridge bid.
Grow
Increase in size by natural process;
Corn doesn't grow here
In these forests, mushrooms grow under the trees
Raise
The act of raising or increasing.
Grow
Cause to grow or develop;
He grows vegetables in his backyard
Raise
An increase in salary.
Grow
Develop and reach maturity; undergo maturation;
He matured fast
The child grew fast
Raise
(physical) To cause to rise; to lift or elevate.
To raise your hand if you want to say something; to raise your walking stick to defend yourself
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
Raise
To form by the accumulation of materials or constituent parts; to build up; to erect.
To raise a wall, or a heap of stones
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
Raise
To cause something to come to the surface of water.
The ship was raised ten years after it had sunk.
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
Raise
(nautical) To cause (the land or any other object) to seem higher by drawing nearer to it.
To raise Sandy Hook light
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
Raise
To make (bread, etc.) light, as by yeast or leaven.
Grow
Become attached by or as if by the process of growth;
The tree trunks had grown together
Raise
(figurative) To cause (a dead person) to live again; to resurrect.
The magic spell raised the dead from their graves!
Grow
To increase in size or amount over time.
The child grew rapidly over the summer.
Raise
(military) To remove or break up (a blockade), either by withdrawing the ships or forces employed in enforcing it, or by driving them away or dispersing them.
Grow
To cultivate plants or crops.
They grow tomatoes in their backyard every year.
Raise
To relinquish (a siege), or cause this to be done.
Grow
To expand a business or enterprise.
The startup grew from a small office to a large corporation.
Raise
(transitive) To create, increase or develop.
We need to raise the motivation level in the company.
To raise the quality of the products; to raise the price of goods; to raise (increase) taxes
Grow
To develop personal skills or qualities.
She grew more confident with experience.
Raise
To collect or amass.
To raise a lot of money for charity; to raise troops
Grow
To allow something to become larger by natural development.
He decided to grow his savings by investing wisely.
Raise
(obsolete) To call up the forces of, to raise the troops from.
Raise
To bring up; to grow.
We visited a farm where they raise chickens.
Chew with your mouth shut — were you raised in a barn?
Raise
To promote.
To raise somebody to office
Raise
To mention (a question, issue) for discussion.
A few important questions were raised after the attack.
Raise
(legal) To create; to constitute (a use, or a beneficial interest in property).
There should be some consideration (i.e., payment or exchange) to raise a use.
Raise
To bring into being; to produce; to cause to arise, come forth, or appear.
Starting in January we will raise (introduce) taxes on all tobacco substitutes and vaping accessories.
Raise
To establish contact with (e.g., by telephone or radio).
Despite all the call congestion, she was eventually able to raise the police.
Raise
To respond to a bet by increasing the amount required to continue in the hand.
John bet, and Julie raised, requiring John to put in more money.
Raise
(arithmetic) To exponentiate, to involute.
Two raised to the fifth power equals 32.
Raise
To extract (a subject or other verb argument) out of an inner clause.
Raise
To produce a vowel with the tongue positioned closer to the roof of the mouth.
Raise
To increase the nominal value of (a cheque, money order, etc.) by fraudulently changing the writing or printing in which the sum payable is specified.
Raise
To instantiate and transmit (an exception, by throwing it, or an event).
A division by zero will raise an exception.
Raise
To open, initiate.
I will raise a trouble-ticket in order to correct this reporting issue.
Raise
(US) pay raise: an increase in wages or salary.
The boss gave me a raise.
Raise
(weightlifting) A shoulder exercise in which the arms are elevated against resistance.
Raise
(curling) A shot in which the delivered stone bumps another stone forward.
Raise
(poker) A bet that increases the previous bet.
Raise
A cairn or pile of stones.
Raise
To cause to rise; to bring from a lower to a higher place; to lift upward; to elevate; to heave; as, to raise a stone or weight.
Raise
To bring to a higher condition or situation; to elevate in rank, dignity, and the like; to increase the value or estimation of; to promote; to exalt; to advance; to enhance; as, to raise from a low estate; to raise to office; to raise the price, and the like.
This gentleman came to be raised to great titles.
The plate pieces of eight were raised three pence in the piece.
Raise
To cause to rise up, or assume an erect position or posture; to set up; to make upright; as, to raise a mast or flagstaff.
Raise
To increase the strength, vigor, or vehemence of; to excite; to intensify; to invigorate; to heighten; as, to raise the pulse; to raise the voice; to raise the spirits or the courage; to raise the heat of a furnace.
Raise
To cause to spring up from a recumbent position, from a state of quiet, or the like; to awaken; to arouse.
They shall not awake, nor be raised out of their sleep.
Raise
To cause to arise, grow up, or come into being or to appear; to give rise to; to originate, produce, cause, effect, or the like.
Raise
To elevate in degree according to some scale; as, to raise the pitch of the voice; to raise the temperature of a room.
Raise
To rouse to action; to stir up; to incite to tumult, struggle, or war; to excite.
He commandeth, and raiseth the stormy wind.
Æneas . . . employs his pains,In parts remote, to raise the Tuscan swains.
Raise
To form by the accumulation of materials or constituent parts; to build up; to erect; as, to raise a lofty structure, a wall, a heap of stones.
I will raise forts against thee.
Raise
To cause to rise, as by the effect of leaven; to make light and spongy, as bread.
Miss Liddy can dance a jig, and raise paste.
Raise
To bring up from the lower world; to call up, as a spirit from the world of spirits; to recall from death; to give life to.
Why should it be thought a thing incredible with you, that God should raise the dead ?
Raise
To bring together; to collect; to levy; to get together or obtain for use or service; as, to raise money, troops, and the like.
Raise
To cause (the land or any other object) to seem higher by drawing nearer to it; as, to raise Sandy Hook light.
Raise
To cause to grow; to procure to be produced, bred, or propagated; to grow; as, to raise corn, barley, hops, etc.; toraise cattle.
I was raised, as they say in Virginia, among the mountains of the North.
Raise
To create or constitute; as, to raise a use, that is, to create it.
Raise
To bring into being; to produce; to cause to arise, come forth, or appear; - often with up.
I will raise them up a prophet from among their brethren, like unto thee.
God vouchsafes to raise another worldFrom him [Noah], and all his anger to forget.
Raise
To give rise to; to set agoing; to occasion; to start; to originate; as, to raise a smile or a blush.
Thou shalt not raise a false report.
Raise
To give vent or utterance to; to utter; to strike up.
Soon as the prince appears, they raise a cry.
Raise
To bring to notice; to submit for consideration; as, to raise a point of order; to raise an objection.
Raise
The amount a salary is increased;
He got a 3% raise
He got a wage hike
Raise
An upward slope or grade (as in a road);
The car couldn't make it up the rise
Raise
Increasing the size of a bet (as in poker);
I'll see your raise and double it
Raise
The act of raising something;
He responded with a lift of his eyebrow
Fireman learn several different raises for getting ladders up
Raise
Raise the level or amount of something;
Raise my salary
Raise the price of bread
Raise
Raise from a lower to a higher position;
Raise your hands
Lift a load
Raise
Cause to be heard or known; express or utter;
Raise a shout
Raise a protest
Raise a sad cry
Raise
Collect funds for a specific purpose;
The President raised several million dollars for his college
Raise
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
Raise
Bring up;
Raise a family
Bring up children
Raise
Evoke or call forth, with or as if by magic;
Raise the specter of unemployment
He conjured wild birds in the air
Stir a disturbance
Call down the spirits from the mountain
Raise
Move upwards;
Lift one's eyes
Raise
Construct, build, or erect;
Raise a barn
Raise
Call forth (emotions, feelings, and responses);
Arouse pity
Raise a smile
Evoke sympathy
Raise
Create a disturbance, especially by making a great noise;
Raise hell
Raise the roof
Raise Cain
Raise
Raise in rank or condition;
The new law lifted many people from poverty
Raise
Increase;
This will enhance your enjoyment
Heighten the tension
Raise
Give a promotion to or assign to a higher position;
John was kicked upstairs when a replacement was hired
Women tend not to advance in the major law firms
I got promoted after many years of hard work
Raise
Cause to puff up with a leaven;
Unleavened bread
Raise
In bridge: bid (one's partner's suit) at a higher level
Raise
Bet more than the previous player
Raise
Cause to assemble or enlist in the military;
Raise an army
Recruit new soldiers
Raise
Put forward for consideration or discussion;
Raise the question of promotions
Bring up an unpleasant topic
Raise
Pronounce (vowels) by bringing the tongue closer to the roof of the mouth;
Raise your `o'
Raise
Activate or stir up;
Raise a mutiny
Raise
Establish radio communications with;
They managed to raise Hanoi last night
Raise
Multiply (a number) by itself a specified number of times: 8 is 2 raised to the power 3
Raise
Bring (a surface, a design, etc.) into relief and cause to project;
Raised edges
Raise
Invigorate or heighten;
Lift my spirits
Lift his ego
Raise
Put an end to;
Lift a ban
Raise a siege
Raise
Cause to become alive again;
Raise from the dead
Slavery is already dead, and cannot be resurrected
Upraising ghosts
Raise
To increase the amount or level of something.
The company raised prices to meet demand.
Raise
To rear or nurture living beings, especially children or animals.
They raised three children in the countryside.
Raise
To collect or solicit, as in funds or support.
The charity raised over a million dollars.
Raise
To bring up a subject for discussion.
He raised a valid point during the meeting.
Common Curiosities
How is growing a plant different from raising a plant?
Growing a plant focuses on providing conditions for natural development, whereas raising might imply more direct, intensive care.
What are some methods to grow a business?
Methods to grow a business include expanding product lines, increasing market reach, and improving operational efficiencies.
Can you raise your own salary?
Typically, you can request or negotiate a raise in your salary, but it is ultimately up to your employer.
Is it correct to say "grow children"?
The usual term is "raise children," as it connotes the active role in nurturing and education, while "grow" is not typically used for rearing children.
Can plants be raised, or just grown?
Plants are typically grown, focusing on nurturing them through natural processes, though one might say they are "raised" in contexts where intensive, careful cultivation is implied.
How does one effectively raise awareness?
Effectively raising awareness often involves organizing campaigns, using media, and engaging the community to increase visibility and understanding of a cause.
What is the difference between raising a question and asking a question?
Raising a question usually implies bringing it up for discussion or consideration, often highlighting it as an issue, whereas asking a question is simply seeking information.
What does it mean to raise children?
Raising children involves actively nurturing and educating them as they grow up.
What is involved in growing an investment?
Growing an investment generally involves careful planning, strategic asset allocation, and patience to allow the investment to increase in value over time.
How can one raise their grades?
Raising grades typically involves studying more effectively, seeking additional help, such as tutoring, and improving overall academic habits and understanding.
What does it mean to grow emotionally?
To grow emotionally generally refers to developing greater emotional intelligence, resilience, and maturity, often through personal experiences and reflection.
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Written by
Maham Liaqat
Edited 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.
