boost
Americanverb (used with object)
-
to lift or raise by pushing from behind or below.
-
to advance or aid by speaking well of; promote.
She always boosts her hometown.
-
to boost prices;
to boost the horsepower of the car by 20 percent.
-
to administer a booster shot to.
Have you and your family been boosted yet?
-
Slang. to steal, especially to shoplift.
Two computers were boosted from the office last night.
verb (used without object)
noun
-
encouragement, improvement, or help
a boost to morale
-
an upward thrust or push
he gave him a boost over the wall
-
an increase or rise
a boost in salary
-
a publicity campaign; promotion
-
the amount by which the induction pressure of a supercharged internal-combustion engine exceeds that of the ambient pressure
verb
-
to encourage, assist, or improve
to boost morale
-
to lift by giving a push from below or behind
-
to increase or raise
to boost the voltage in an electrical circuit
-
to cause to rise; increase
to boost sales
-
to advertise on a big scale
-
to increase the induction pressure of (an internal-combustion engine) above that of the ambient pressure; supercharge
Other Word Forms
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
-
boostsimple
-
boostssimple
-
have boostedperfect
-
has boostedperfect
-
am boostingprogressive
-
are boostingprogressive
-
is boostingprogressive
-
have been boostingperfect progressive
-
has been boostingperfect progressive
Past
-
boostedsimple
-
had boostedperfect
-
was boostingprogressive
-
were boostingprogressive
-
had been boostingperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of boost
An Americanism dating back to 1815–25; perhaps Scots dialect boose (variant of pouss push ) + (hoi)st
Explanation
Think of the word boost as meaning "help up." Maybe you need a boost getting over a fence (hmm — are you sneaking in or sneaking out?), or maybe you are feeling low and need to boost your spirits — chocolate, anyone? Sometimes words appear that really don't have any clear origins. Boost is one of those words, but it's a fun word, and it's thought that maybe it has some connection to boose, a Scots dialect word that carries the idea of a push. A slang meaning of the word is to sneakily steal, like shoplifting. You gave your cousin a boost into the window, not knowing he was planning on boosting some sneakers.
Vocabulary lists containing boost
Common Five-letter Words for Wordle, List 2
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
Higher Learning: Synonyms For "Up"
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
"Laws are not the only way to boost immunization”: an editorial from Nature
Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
See Examples For:
If central banks cut interest rates to boost growth during a period of stagflation they run the risk of further aggravating inflation.
From Barron's ● Jul. 23, 2026
In an effort to lighten things up and reduce risk—and, let’s be honest, boost productivity through camaraderie—more companies are planning retreats that could have been designed by a bunch of 10-year-olds.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 23, 2026
Aston Martin has secured £550m in loans as it attempts to boost its finances.
From BBC ● Jul. 22, 2026
The chain currently has about 45 locations, and Siegel hopes to boost that total to 1,000 in the next five years.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 22, 2026
Burnham fought to boost the rate of construction, especially of the Manufactures and Liberal Arts Building, which had to be completed by Dedication Day.
From "The Devil in the White City" by Erik Larson
“The purchase boosts Magnolia’s remaining location count by about 70%” in certain areas of South Texas’ Eagle Ford Shale region, he says in a note.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 21, 2026
That technology boosts the capacity of one system, as opposed to “scale-out,” which focuses on connecting systems and racks into larger clusters.
From MarketWatch ● Jul. 20, 2026
AOL’s holding company goes public, the World Cup boosts prediction markets, and Eric Trump loses more than $600 million on Bitcoin.
From Slate ● Jul. 11, 2026
"Beating a top player boosts self-esteem and it is also important in the sense he knows what he can expect from an opponent like Cobolli," Fery's coach Jeroen Benard told BBC Sport.
From BBC ● Jul. 8, 2026
“What happens to her when Mr. Curtain boosts the power all the way? She’s already hearing voices, you know!”
From "The Mysterious Benedict Society" by Trenton Lee Stewart
That means IBM hasn’t benefited from the boom in spending on AI infrastructure that has boosted some of its peers, including Nvidia, Amazon Web Services and Advanced Micro Devices.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 22, 2026
The United States' frenzied rush to build out AI infrastructure has boosted exports of Mexican technology, complicating President Donald Trump's hand heading into trade negotiations.
From Barron's ● Jul. 21, 2026
In response, it said it has adjusted prices and boosted marketing in certain regions for the second half of the year.
From BBC ● Jul. 21, 2026
Looking ahead, the U.S. bank expects organic growth to accelerate to 8% from next year, partly boosted by an AI-driven acceleration to legal and scientific, technical & medical divisions.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 21, 2026
Oh, but it did unsettle the matrons of Bethlehem to see the poor thing boosted into a class ahead of their own children, there to become dazzling slick-quick at mathematics.
From "The Poisonwood Bible" by Barbara Kingsolver
In another closely watched item, Tesla reported gains in subscribers to its "FSD" driver-assistance program, boosting revenues.
From Barron's ● Jul. 22, 2026
“Core PCE would still be well above 2% even if we exclude special factors that are likely temporarily boosting inflation,” Bank of America economist Aditya Bhave wrote.
From MarketWatch ● Jul. 22, 2026
The club have stressed the importance of taking time to make the right decision when it comes to either expanding St James' Park or building a new stadium, which will be key to boosting revenue.
From BBC ● Jul. 22, 2026
In reality, artificially boosting testosterone, especially if not medically indicated, can shrink testicles, lower sperm counts and even make it harder to urinate.
From Salon ● Jul. 17, 2026
I grab the man in front of me, boosting myself up onto his shoulders.
From "Dread Nation" by Justina Ireland
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.