grow
To increase in size, strength, or maturity over time.
Word facts
Definition
To grow means to increase in size, number, strength, or maturity over time. It can describe physical development, personal growth, or the increase of any quantity.
Usage: Grow is intransitive for self-development ('plants grow') and transitive for cultivating something ('grow vegetables'). Develop often implies more deliberate effort than grow.
Example sentences
- 1
Children grow quickly in their first few years of life.
- 2
The business grew from five employees to over two hundred in ten years.
- 3
She grew more confident with every public speech she gave.
Word family
From Old English grōwan ('to grow, flourish'). Related to Old High German gruoen. A deeply old root connected to green and grass — things that grow.
Grow contains 'row' — a row of seeds planted and growing. Growth is the process; grow is the action.
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FAQ
Questions people ask
What is the past tense of grow?
The past tense is grew. The past participle is grown. Example: The company grew rapidly.
What is the noun form of grow?
The noun is growth. Example: Personal growth takes time and effort.