grow
gb/ɡɹˈoʊ/ us/ɡɹˈoʊ/
A1
English
~ 600
Senses
0 senses
Verb
A1
action
1
Increase in physical size
To get bigger over time.
Usage pattern:
[something] grows
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes confuse 'grow' with 'become' for changes that are not about size. For example, 'I grow tired' is correct but less common than 'I get tired'.
Synonyms
increase (General term for becoming greater in size, amount, or degree; less specific to living things.)
Antonyms
shrink (Means to become smaller in size, the opposite of growing physically.)
Collocations
grow fast
|grow quickly
|grow slowly
|grow taller
|grow bigger
Themes
nature
|biology
|daily life
|core_vocabulary
Examples
- Children grow very quickly during their first few years.
- The tree has grown a lot since last summer.
- Business profits grew steadily over the past decade.
- My hair grows faster in the summer.
- These plants grow best in warm climates.
Learner examples
- The baby grows every day.
- My cat is growing fast.
- The flowers grow in the garden.
- He grows taller each year.
- The tree grows near the house.
Verb
B1
action
2
Develop or change over time
To slowly change or become different over time.
Usage pattern:
[someone/something] grows [adjective]
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes use 'become' instead of 'grow' when describing gradual change. 'Grow' emphasizes the process over time.
Synonyms
develop (Focuses more on the process of improvement or change rather than just size.)
Antonyms
decline (Means to worsen in quality, ability, or condition over time.)
Collocations
grow stronger
|grow closer
|grow confident
|grow independent
Themes
personal development
|emotions
|core_vocabulary
Examples
- They grew closer after working together for years.
- She has grown more confident since starting her new job.
- Our friendship grew stronger through shared experiences.
- He grew tired after hours of walking.
- The city has grown more diverse in recent decades.
Learner examples
- I grew happy when I saw her.
- We grew close as friends.
- He grew strong from exercise.
- She grew tired after running.
- The team grew better after practice.
Verb
A2
action
3
Cultivate plants or crops
To make plants or food grow by taking care of them.
Usage pattern:
to grow [plants/crops]
Common mistake:
Learners may confuse this with the intransitive sense (plants growing by themselves). Here, 'grow' is transitive and requires an object.
Synonyms
cultivate (More formal and technical term for preparing and using land for growing plants.)
Antonyms
neglect (Fail to take care of plants or crops so they don't grow well.)
Collocations
grow vegetables
|grow flowers
|grow wheat
|grow rice
Themes
agriculture
|gardening
|nature
|daily_life
Examples
- They grow tomatoes in their backyard.
- She grows roses in her garden every spring.
- Farmers here grow corn as their main crop.
- We are learning how to grow herbs indoors.
- He grows his own food to save money.
Learner examples
- I grow flowers in my garden.
- We grow beans in summer.
- My father grows rice on the farm.
- She grows apples in her yard.
- They grow carrots for the market.
Verb
B1
action
4
Increase in amount or intensity
To get bigger in number or amount over time.
Usage pattern:
[something] grows [in amount/intensity]
Synonyms
expand (Often used for business, ideas, or influence becoming larger.)
Antonyms
decrease (Means to become smaller in quantity, number, or intensity.)
Collocations
grow rapidly
|grow steadily
|grow significantly
Themes
business
|economy
|core_vocabulary
Examples
- The company's sales grew rapidly last year.
- Her influence in the community has grown significantly.
- The population is growing at an alarming rate.
- Interest in renewable energy has grown steadily.
- Demand for electric cars continues to grow.
Learner examples
- The city grows every year.
- Our class grows when new students join.
- The market grows fast now.
- Her fame grows on the internet.
- The number of jobs grows slowly.
Grammar
Dictionary form
grow
IPA
GB/ɡɹˈoʊ/
US/ɡɹˈoʊ/
Syllables & stress
grow (1 syllable)
Stress on 1st syllable (grow)
Word forms
Verb
- Base: grow
- 3rd Person Singular: grows
- Present Participle: growing
- Past: grew
- Past Participle: grown
Word family
Forms
grows
verb
growing
verb
grew
verb
grown
verb
Core family
growth
noun A2
Advanced or less common
overgrow
verb
undergrowth
noun
Highlights
- Irregular past: grew Verb
- Irregular past participle: grown Verb
Expressions
grow on someone
1/ɡɹˈoʊ ˈɔn sˈʌmwˌʌn/
idiom
informal
Gradually become liked by someone
To start liking something or someone more and more over time.
Examples
- At first I didn't like the song, but it grew on me.
- His strange sense of humor is starting to grow on her.
grow up
1/ɡɹˈoʊ ˈʌp/
phrasal verb
Mature from child to adult
To change from being a child to being an adult.
Examples
- I grew up in a small town by the sea.
- She grew up speaking three languages.
let someone grow on you
1/lˈɛt sˈʌmwˌʌn ɡɹˈoʊ ˈɔn jˈu/
fixed phrase
informal
Allow liking to develop over time
To give someone time so that you start liking them more later.
Examples
- Give him a chance—he might grow on you.
- The new teacher is growing on the students.
grow apart
1/ɡɹˈoʊ əpˈɑɹt/
phrasal verb
Become less close over time
To slowly stop being as close to someone as before.
Examples
- We were best friends in school but grew apart after graduation.
- We were best friends in school, but we grew apart after college.
- They grew apart as their interests changed.
- They grew apart after years of living in different countries.