rise

RYZ/ɹaɪz/

Verbrises, rising, rose, risen

Noun pluralrises

Often confused with raise

33 meanings of rise

Practice

1
go up (amount)verbintransitive
To go up in amount, price, or number.
Like a number on a scoreboard going higher.
Food prices rise almost every year.
The temperature began to rise after noon.
UsagePrices rise by an amount, or rise to a new level.
Similarincrease, climb, grow, mount, soar
Oppositefall, drop, decrease, decline
2
head upwardverbintransitive
To move up or go higher, or to go up something such as a hill.
Like a balloon floating up into the air.
Smoke from the campfire began to rise into the sky.
Hot air balloons rise when the air inside them heats up.
UsageSomething rises; you raise it. Past: rose, have risen.
Similarascend, climb, mount
Oppositesink, fall, descend, drop
3
growth in powernouncountable
The act of becoming famous, powerful, or important.
Like a small shop slowly becoming a famous brand.
The rise of the young singer surprised everyone.
We read about the rise of the new tech company.
UsageSay the rise of something, or a rise to fame.
Similarascent, emergence, climb, growth
Oppositefall, decline, downfall
4
advance (career)verbintransitive
To reach a higher rank or position in life.
Like climbing up the steps of a ladder, one level at a time.
She worked hard to rise in the company.
Good leaders often rise from humble beginnings.
UsageSay rise to a higher job, or rise through the ranks.
Similaradvance, progress, climb, ascend
Oppositefall
Note
5
an increasenouncountable
An increase in an amount, price, or number.
Like the price tag on something going up.
There has been a sharp rise in bus fares.
Shoppers noticed a steady rise in food costs.
UsageSay a rise in prices, and a rise of 10%.
Similarincrease, hike, jump, climb
Oppositefall, drop, decrease, cut
6
upward movementnouncountable
The act of moving up or going higher.
Like the moment a kite climbs higher into the sky.
The rise of the balloon amazed the children.
We watched the slow rise of the tide along the beach.
Similarincrease, ascent, climb, lift, elevation
Oppositefall, drop, descent
7
come up (sun)verbintransitive
To come up over the edge of the sky, like the sun does each morning.
Like a coin slowly appearing over the edge of a table.
The sun will rise just after six tomorrow.
We watched the moon rise slowly over the hills.
UsageThe sun rises in the east.
Oppositeset
Note
8
surgeverbintransitive
To start and grow stronger, as a feeling, situation, or speech does.
Her anger began to rise as she waited in the long line.
Tensions rise whenever the two teams meet.
Similargrow, build, mount, swell, intensify
Oppositesubside, abate, fade, drop
9
tower aboveverbintransitive
To grow taller or reach up to a certain height.
Like a plant growing taller and taller each week.
The new tower will rise above the old church.
By August, the sunflowers rise higher than the garden fence.
Similartower, soar, loom
10
stand upverbintransitive
To stand up or move into an upright position.
Like standing up from your seat when someone important walks in.
Please rise when the teacher enters the room.
She rose slowly from her chair to greet the visitors.
UsageIn everyday talk, people usually say stand up.
Similarstand, arise
Oppositesit
11
back to lifeverbfigurativelyintransitive
To come back to life after dying.
Like a fire that seemed dead but flares back to life.
Many believe the dead will rise on the last day.
In the story, the hero rises from the grave three days later.
UsageSay rise from the dead. He is risen is a church phrase.
Similararise, revive
Note
12
puff up (dough)verbintransitive
Of dough, to swell and puff up as gas forms inside it.
Like a balloon slowly filling with air and getting bigger.
Let the dough rise for an hour before baking.
The bread will rise faster in a warm kitchen.
Similarprove, swell, expand
13
rebelverbintransitive
To turn against those in power and start to fight them.
Like a crowd that has had enough and stands up to push back.
The people rise whenever their rulers grow too cruel.
Villagers rose against the tax collectors that summer.
UsageSay people rise up against their rulers.
Similarrebel, revolt, mutiny
Note

Less common meanings

14
out of bedverbintransitive
To get up out of bed after sleeping.
Like getting up when your alarm rings in the morning.
I rise at seven on every weekday.
Farmers rise before dawn to milk the cows.
UsagePeople usually say get up in everyday talk.
Similarwake, arise
Oppositeretire
15
start (river)verbintransitive
To begin at a certain place, the way a river starts from its source.
Like a tree that all grows from a single root.
Great rivers often rise high in the mountains.
The stream rises near an old stone well.
UsageA river rises in the place where it starts.
Similaroriginate, start (entry), begin, spring
Note
16
meet a challengeverbintransitive
To do well when a hard moment calls for it, as in 'rise to the challenge'.
Like a phone lighting up the moment a message arrives.
Good workers rise to meet any challenge.
She knew she could rise to the occasion.
UsageSay rise to the occasion or rise to the challenge.
Similarspring
Note
17
small hillnouncountable
A piece of higher ground that slopes up and hides what lies beyond it.
Like a small hill that hides whatever sits on the other side.
We lost sight of the cabin behind a low rise.
A gentle rise in the road blocked our view of the valley.
Similarslope, hill, incline, knoll
Oppositedip, hollow
Note
18
slope upverbintransitive
To slant gently upward from one point to a higher one.
Like a ramp that goes up the farther you walk along it.
The fields rise slowly toward the distant hills.
Behind the house, the ground rises sharply.
Similarslope, climb, ascend, incline
Oppositedescend, fall
19
strong reactionnouncolloquialcountable
A strong, clear reaction from someone, often when you tease or upset them.
Like poking a sleeping cat just to see it jump.
His teasing finally got a rise out of his calm older sister.
My brother teases me just to get a rise out of me.
UsageYou get a rise out of someone when your teasing makes them react.
Similarreaction, response
20
pay increasenounAustraliaCanadaIrelandUKabbreviationellipsis
Short for pay rise: more money in your wages or salary.
She asked her boss for a rise after two years.
Everyone got a small rise at the end of the year.
UsageYou ask for a rise. In American English it is a raise.
21
bring up (fish)verbtransitive
To make something come up, such as a fish to the top of the water.
A small fly on still water can rise a big trout.
She rose three fish this morning but did not catch any.
Similarraise
Note
22
end sessionverbfigurativelyintransitive
To end an official meeting and break up, as a court or parliament does.
Like a class that ends when the teacher says everyone may go.
The council will rise for the summer next week and meet again in September.
Parliament rose for the summer recess last Thursday.
Similaradjourn, recess
Oppositesit, convene
Note
23
come to mindverbintransitive
To come into your mind, like a thought or question that suddenly appears.
Like a bubble that floats up to the top of a glass.
Doubts begin to rise in his mind as the deadline gets close.
A strange thought rose in her mind as she read the letter.
Similararise, surface, emerge, occur
24
come (smell or sound)verbintransitive
To start to be noticed by smell, sound, or another sense.
Like a smell that slowly fills the room until you notice it.
Sounds of laughter rise from the kitchen each evening.
A smell of fresh bread rose from the bakery.
Similarwaft, drift, come
25
higher noteverbintransitive
To go up to a higher musical note or pitch.
Like climbing higher and higher up a set of stairs, but with sound.
The notes rise toward the end of the melody.
Her voice rose to a high, clear note.
Similarclimb, ascend
Oppositedescend, drop
26
step heightnouncountable
How tall an arch or a step is from bottom to top.
Like the height you climb with one stair before the next.
The stonemason measured the rise of each step carefully.
Each step on these stairs has a rise of seven inches.
Similarheight
Note
27
waist to crotchnouncountable
The amount of cloth between the waist and the crotch in pants or shorts.
Like the distance from your belt down to where your legs meet.
These jeans have a high rise that sits above the hips.
He prefers pants with a low rise that sits below the navel.
28
verbarchaic
To come up or appear, like a chance that offers itself to you.
29
verbobsolete
To end a siege and march away, said of an army.
30
verbdated
In old printing, of set type, to lift up without any letters falling out.
One side of the form is now to be lifted from the stone just enough to allow the compositor to see whether it will rise or not but not so high as to let any loose letters drop out.
1872, Thomas Lynch, The Printer's Manual: A Practical Guide for Compositors and Pressmen
31
noun
The part of a diaper that covers the belly.
32
noun
A low hill, a word found mainly in names of places.
33
noun
Another spelling of rice, an old word for a small twig.

Practice

Can you tell the meanings of rise apart? Answer 3 quick questions from this page, or write your own sentence and AI will check it.

Origin

From Old English rīsan, going back to Proto-Germanic and an old Proto-Indo-European root meaning "to rise."

Checked 1 Nov 2026 · 2 facts

Rise derives from Old English rīsan. en.wiktionary.org
Its ancestry extends through Proto-Germanic to a Proto-Indo-European root meaning 'to rise'. en.wiktionary.org