boost 1 of 2

verb

ˈbüst How to pronounce boost (audio)
Definition of boostnext
1
as in to hoist
to lift with effort boosted the child into her car seat

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to increase
to make greater in size, amount, or number a promotion that boosted the number of interested customers milling about the showroom

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in to enhance
to make markedly greater in measure or degree recommended eating foods that boost the body's immunity to disease

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
4
as in to lift
to move from a lower to a higher place or position boosted the box onto the top shelf

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
5
as in to promote
to provide publicity for boosted the singer's latest release with a round of appearances on all the talk and entertainment shows

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6
as in to steal
slang to take (something) without right and with an intent to keep the woman was nabbed trying to boost a couple of bottles of perfume

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

boost

2 of 2

noun

1
as in support
an act or instance of helping she always liked to give struggling families in the neighborhood a boost

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2
as in increase
something added (as by growth) a sudden boost in sales

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3
as in incentive
something that arouses action or activity according to the President, a tax cut is just the boost that the economy needs

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Synonym Chooser

How does the verb boost contrast with its synonyms?

Some common synonyms of boost are elevate, heave, hoist, lift, raise, and rear. While all these words mean "to move from a lower to a higher place or position," 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 boost?

Elevate may replace lift or raise especially when exalting or enhancing is implied.

elevated the taste of the public

When would heave be a good substitute for boost?

Although the words heave and boost have much in common, heave implies lifting and throwing with great effort or strain.

heaved the heavy crate inside

When might hoist be a better fit than boost?

The meanings of hoist and boost largely overlap; however, hoist implies lifting something heavy especially by mechanical means.

hoisted the cargo on board

When could lift be used to replace boost?

The synonyms lift and boost are sometimes interchangeable, but lift usually implies exerting effort to overcome resistance of weight.

lift the chair while I vacuum

In what contexts can raise take the place of boost?

The words raise and boost can be used in similar contexts, but raise carries a stronger implication of bringing up to the vertical or to a high position.

scouts raising a flagpole

How are the words rear and raise related as synonyms of boost?

Rear may add an element of suddenness to raise.

suddenly reared itself up on its hind legs

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of boost
Verb
Barry says the hotel is looking for other ways to boost guests' wellness. —Christopher Elliott, Forbes.com, 6 Apr. 2025 Listen to this article The establishment of a La Jolla Fire Safe Council to boost local fire preparedness and prevention efforts appears imminent after about 25 community members poured into a room at the Congregation Adat Yeshurun synagogue last week to discuss the possibility. —Noah Lyons, San Diego Union-Tribune, 6 Apr. 2025
Noun
Finau's confidence may also get a boost from a recent hole-in-one at the Valero Texas Open, following another notable ace in the past. —Gordon G. Chang, MSNBC Newsweek, 8 Apr. 2025 The dire wolves also got a boost from the Trump Administration. —D. T. Max, New Yorker, 7 Apr. 2025 See All Example Sentences for boost
Recent Examples of Synonyms for boost
  1. hoist
  2. increase
  3. enhance
  4. lift
  5. promote
  6. steal
  7. support
  8. gain
Verb
  • To top it all off, a patron is caught on camera hoisting a live chicken in the air.
    — Tim Lammers, Forbes.com, 14 Apr. 2025
  • Footage released by the Coast Guard shows a rescue diver in the ocean and loading the people one-by-one into a basket, which was hoisted up to the helicopter.
    — David Goodhue, Miami Herald, 14 Apr. 2025
Definition of hoist
Verb
  • Early, transparent culture dialogues increase odds of integration success because various systems, processes and operational infrastructures start communicating from the get-go.
    — Vibhas Ratanjee, Forbes.com, 1 Apr. 2025
  • This initiative is driven by the goal of establishing a closed-loop raw material cycle and acknowledging the increasing significance of recycled materials in future battery production.
    — Mrigakshi Dixit, Interesting Engineering, 1 Apr. 2025
Definition of increase
Verb
  • By implementing regenerative agricultural practices, SRI focuses on enhancing soil health, conserving biodiversity, reducing chemical dependency, and promoting water conservation.
    — Angela Velasquez, Sourcing Journal, 10 Apr. 2025
  • Multimillion-dollar residences on the stylish Soho strip enhance the neighborhood’s offerings, providing residents with unmatched dwellings.
    — Demetrius Simms, Robb Report, 10 Apr. 2025
Definition of enhance
Verb
  • Firefighters had to call in a crane to lift the dump truck off the Ford Ranger.
    — Frank Fernandez, USA Today, 17 Apr. 2025
  • The obliging royalty would lift their hems and give the crowd a glimpse of their sneakers and cowboy boots.
    — Jill Robbins, Southern Living, 16 Apr. 2025
Definition of lift
Verb
  • In a social media post Sunday, Kennedy promoted two such practitioners who have become popular in West Texas among vaccine-hesitant families: Ben Edwards and Richard Bartlett.
    — ArsTechnica, ArsTechnica, 7 Apr. 2025
  • Musk responded to an X user who shared a video of Navarro promoting tariffs.
    — Zac Anderson, USA Today, 7 Apr. 2025
Definition of promote
Verb
  • Coop is fired from his high-profile finance job, starts stealing from his wealthy neighbors to keep up his lifestyle, chaos ensues, and get your popcorn ready.
    — Danielle Pergament, SELF, 10 Apr. 2025
  • Tom Richard Santos with John of Sherwood: After the death of Robin Hood, a grieving Little John returns to his ancestral Celtic tribe to protect it from the corrupt Church bent on stealing its land — and to confront the dark truth of his crimes as a Merry Man.
    — Matt Grobar, Deadline, 9 Apr. 2025
Definition of steal
Noun
  • Comedian and car aficionado Jay Leno drove state Sen. Shannon Grove, R-Bakersfield, in a 1976 Pontiac Trans-Am past the state Capitol on Tuesday, rallying support for legislation that would ease restrictions on classic cars.
    — HECTOR AMEZCUA, Sacbee.com, 9 Apr. 2025
  • But there was a sense of hope, rather than expectation, among the home support as the players walked out on a crystal clear spring evening in North London.
    — Ben Church, CNN Money, 8 Apr. 2025
Definition of support
Noun
  • The agreement had required Iran to drastically reduce its uranium enrichment and stockpile levels in return for sanctions relief, which helped stabilize its economy before the U.S. exit reversed those gains.
    — Raja Krishnamoorthi, MSNBC Newsweek, 9 Apr. 2025
  • In a statement announcing one of these rollbacks, the EPA said that the U.S. has already made major gains in air quality, implying that these are enough.
    — Zoë Schlanger, The Atlantic, 9 Apr. 2025
Definition of gain

Browse Nearby Words

boos
boost
boosted
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Cite this Entry

“Boost.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/boost. Accessed 20 Apr. 2025.

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