Raise vs Turn it up

When to use each in English, with meaning, register, and examples.

Raise

Top 1,000 (very common) A2 verb

Turn it up

Informal Top 2,000 (common)

Most formal: Raise Most common: Raise

	Raise	Turn it up
Pronunciation	🇬🇧 /["/reɪz/","/ˈreɪzɪz/","/reɪzd/","/ˈreɪzɪŋ/"]/ 🇺🇸 /["/reɪz/","/ˈreɪzɪz/","/reɪzd/","/ˈreɪzɪŋ/"]/	🇬🇧 //tɜːn ɪt ʌp// 🇺🇸 //tɜrn ɪt ʌp//
Meaning	To lift something up or to increase something.	Make something louder, like music.
Example	I want to raise my hand to ask a question.	Can you turn it up? I can barely hear the music.
Register	Neutral	Informal
How common	Top 1,000 (very common)	Top 2,000 (common)
CEFR level	A2	-
Part of speech	verb
Collocations	raise funds, raise awareness, raise a question, raise the stakes, raise your hand	turn up the volume, turn it up loud, turn it up high
Antonyms	lower, decrease	-
Common mistakes	'Raise' confused with 'rise' (e.g., 'I rise my hand'), Using 'raise' without an object (e.g., 'raise' without specifying what is raised), Confusing past tense ('raised') with present tense ('raise')	Using 'turn up' without an object, e.g., 'turn it up' not 'turn up'., Confusing with 'turn it down', which has the opposite meaning., Mixing up with 'turn on', which means to start something.
Usage notes	Use 'raise' when talking about increasing amounts, such as money or levels. It is not used for people standing up (use 'rise' instead). Suitable for both spoken and written contexts.	Used mainly in casual conversations, especially regarding music or sound settings. Avoid in formal contexts.

See it in real clips

How would you raise them?

Succession › S1 E1

So, let's raise a toast.

The Wire › S1 E1

He raise a stink?

How would you raise them?

Succession › S1 E1

So, let's raise a toast.

Raise

How I Met Your Mother › S1 E1

She's cute. Hey, Carl, turn it up.

Turn it up

Frequently asked questions: Raise vs Turn it up

What's the difference between Raise and Turn it up?

Raise: To lift something up or to increase something. Turn it up: Make something louder, like music.

Which is more formal: Raise and Turn it up?

Raise is the most formal of these.

Which is more common: Raise and Turn it up?

Raise is the most common in everyday English.

Can you show an example of each?

Raise: I want to raise my hand to ask a question. Turn it up: Can you turn it up? I can barely hear the music.

Can I use Raise and Turn it up interchangeably?

Not always. Raise and Turn it up 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.