Cool MateIncrease vs Multiply
When to use each in English, with meaning, register, and examples.
Increase
Top 1,000 (very common)A2verb
Multiply
Top 1,000 (very common)B2verb
| Increase | Multiply | |
|---|---|---|
| Pronunciation | 🇬🇧 /["/ɪnˈkriːs/","/ɪnˈkriːsɪz/","/ɪnˈkriːst/","/ɪnˈkriːsɪŋ/"]/🇺🇸 /["/ɪnˈkriːs/","/ɪnˈkriːsɪz/","/ɪnˈkriːst/","/ɪnˈkriːsɪŋ/"]/ | 🇬🇧 /["/ˈmʌltɪplaɪ/","/ˈmʌltɪplaɪz/","/ˈmʌltɪplaɪd/","/ˈmʌltɪplaɪɪŋ/"]/🇺🇸 /["/ˈmʌltɪplaɪ/","/ˈmʌltɪplaɪz/","/ˈmʌltɪplaɪd/","/ˈmʌltɪplaɪɪŋ/"]/ |
| Meaning | To make something larger in amount or size. | To increase a number by another number. |
| Example | We need to increase our budget for the project. | To find the area of a rectangle, you need to multiply its length by its width. |
| Register | Neutral | Neutral |
| How common | Top 1,000 (very common) | Top 1,000 (very common) |
| CEFR level | A2 | B2 |
| Part of speech | verb | verb |
| Collocations | considerably, dramatically, drastically, be expected to, be likely to, by, from, in | endlessly, indefinitely, greatly, by, endlessly, indefinitely, greatly, by, endlessly, indefinitely, greatly, by |
| Antonyms | decrease, reduce, diminish | divide |
| Common mistakes | Using 'increases' as a noun instead of a verb., Confusing 'increase' with 'decrease' which has the opposite meaning., Incorrectly forming the past tense as 'increased' when it should be 'increased' without a change. | Confusing 'multiply' with 'add' or 'subtract'., Incorrectly using 'multiply by' when it should be 'multiply with'., Omitting the number when stating the multiplication. |
| Usage notes | Use 'increase' in contexts involving growth, improvement, or enhancement. It is appropriate for both spoken and written English, but avoid in overly casual conversations where simpler words like 'go up' might be preferred. | Commonly used in math contexts, suitable for both casual and formal situations. Avoid using in literal sense when discussing general growth or increase. |
Frequently asked questions: Increase vs Multiply
What's the difference between Increase and Multiply?
Increase: To make something larger in amount or size. Multiply: To increase a number by another number.
Are Increase and Multiply the same CEFR level?
Increase: A2, Multiply: B2 on the CEFR scale.
Can I use Increase and Multiply interchangeably?
Not always. Increase and Multiply are related and overlap in some contexts, but they differ in register, how common they are, and usage, so swapping one for another can change the meaning or tone. Check the differences above before substituting.