Growing

Increasing in size, strength, number, maturity, or influence.

Reach for it when describing an upward change that is still underway

A growing network of volunteers now reaches every district.

• playful

  on the upswing

  informal language should mark improving momentum

  not when An upswing may be temporary and cyclical rather than sustained growth.

• everyday

  developing

  skills, systems, or organisms are becoming more mature

  not when Developing may involve qualitative change without an increase in size.

• everyday

  rising

  a level, rate, or amount is moving higher

  not when Rising can describe harmful costs and lacks growing's developmental sense.

• professional

  expanding

  scope, reach, or capacity is becoming broader

  not when Expansion can spread thin and does not guarantee healthy growth.

• professional

  increasing

  a measurable quantity is moving upward

  not when Increasing says nothing about maturity, strength, or organic development.

• formal

  emerging

  something is becoming visible or established for the first time

  not when Emergence can occur without continued increase.

• literary

  burgeoning

  rapid fresh growth deserves vivid language

  not when Burgeoning overstates a slow or uncertain increase.

• shrinking
• declining
• stagnant

• growing confidence

  Growing confidence allowed the apprentices to question an unsafe instruction.

• growing demand

  Growing demand led the clinic to add appointments rather than shorten visits.

• growing community

  The growing community protected space for long-term residents.

• Grow v.

• Wiktionary, English adjective sense: increasing or developing ↗opens in a new tab · retrieved 2026-07-26

The definition and the example on this page are written here. The dictionaries above ground which meaning is being described, not the wording.