What is grow? Pronunciation and usage in English

grow means . Learn how to pronounce and use grow through vivid examples and easy-to-understand exercises.

Definition & pronunciation of grow

growverb

/ɡrəʊ/
Definition & pronunciation of grow

Okay, let's break down how to pronounce "grow" in English. There are two common pronunciations, and they sound slightly different.

1. The Most Common Pronunciation (Rhymes with "low")

  • IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet): /ɡroʊ/
  • How it sounds: It's a short, relaxed vowel sound, like the "o" in the word "low." Think of a gentle "oh."
  • Phonetic Breakdown:
    • "g": Pronounced as a hard "g" like in "go."
    • "r": A rolled "r" – this is important! It's a quick, light roll of your tongue. Don't overdo it, just a slight tap.
    • "ow": This is the key part. It's a short, open "o" sound, similar to "low" or "toe."

2. A Less Common, Older Pronunciation (Rhymes with "crow")

  • IPA: /ɡrəʊ/ (notice the schwa - 'ə' - sound after the 'r')
  • How it sounds: This version has a slightly more drawn-out "ow" sound, and a more noticeable, perhaps slightly stronger, rolled "r." It sounds a bit more old-fashioned. You'll likely hear it more in British English.

Here's a simple way to remember:

  • "Grow" (like low): Think of “low” and replace the "o" with a "g."
  • "Grow" (like crow): Think of "crow" and add a “g” in front.

Resources for Hearing the Pronunciation:

  • Google Translate: Type "grow" in Google Translate and click the speaker icon. You'll hear both pronunciations.
  • Forvo: https://forvo.com/word/grow/ – This website has audio recordings of the word pronounced by native speakers from various regions.

To help me tailor my advice, could you tell me:

  • Where are you from (or where did you learn English)? This can help me determine which pronunciation is more likely to be familiar to you.

Usage and examples with the word grow in English

Let's break down how to use the word "grow" in English. It's a wonderfully versatile word with many different meanings and ways to use it! Here's a breakdown, categorized for clarity:

1. Literal Growth (Physical Growth)

  • Used for things that increase in size: This is the most basic meaning.
    • "The plant grows taller every day."
    • "My baby grows quickly."
    • "Trees grow in the forest."
    • "The mushrooms grew overnight."

2. Figurative Growth (Developing Skills, Knowledge, Understanding)

  • Developing skills and abilities:

    • "She grew confident in her singing." (Developed confidence)
    • “He grew more skilled as a carpenter.” (Improved his carpentry skills)
    • "I'm trying to grow my understanding of history." (Expand knowledge)

  • Becoming mature or experienced:

    • "He grew into a responsible adult." (Became mature)
    • "She grew weary of the argument." (Became tired of it)

  • Developing feelings or emotions:

    • “He grew sad when he heard the news.” (Developed sadness)
    • “I grew angry with his behavior." (Developed anger)

3. Planting and Agriculture

  • Used in the context of plants and farming:
    • "Farmers grow crops."
    • “We grow vegetables in our garden.”
    • "The vineyard grows grapes."

4. Increasing in Quantity (Amounts, Numbers)

  • Increasing in number or amount:
    • "The company grew steadily over the past year." (Increased in size/profits)
    • "Prices grow higher with inflation.” (Increased in value)
    • "Demand for the product grew rapidly." (Increased in amount)

5. Developing or Expanding (Ideas, Relationships)

  • Allowing something to develop or expand:
    • "Let the dough grow for an hour." (Allow it to rise)
    • “The friendship grew stronger over time." (Developed and deepened)
    • “The business is growing rapidly.” (Expanding)

6. Expressions with "Grow"

  • Grow up: To mature and become an adult. “Children grow up quickly.”
  • Grow old: To age. “We all grow old eventually.”
  • Grow bored: To become uninteresting. “I grew bored of the movie.”
  • Grow tired: To become weary. “I grew tired of the long journey.”
  • Grow concerned: To become worried. “I grew concerned about his absence.”

7. Grammatical Uses

  • "Grow" as a verb: It’s an intransitive verb (doesn’t take a direct object). You don't say "I grow something." You say "I grow plants."
  • "Grow" as a helping verb: It's often used with "have" to form the present perfect tense: "I have grown taller."

Tips for Using "Grow" Effectively:

  • Context is key: The meaning of "grow" depends entirely on the context.
  • Consider the subject: What is growing? A plant? A skill? A feeling?
  • Think about the direction: Is it growing up, out, larger, stronger, or more?

To help me give you even more targeted advice, could you tell me:

  • What are you trying to use "grow" in? (e.g., a sentence, a paragraph, a specific situation?)
  • Is there a particular meaning of "grow" you're struggling with?

Synonyms for the word grow

Idioms of the word grow

absence makes the heart grow fonder
(saying)used to say that when you are away from somebody that you love, you love them even more
    great/tall oaks from little acorns grow
    (saying)something large and successful often begins in a very small way
      it/money doesn’t grow on trees
      (saying)used to tell somebody not to use something or spend money carelessly because you do not have a lot of it
        not let the grass grow under your feet
        to not delay in getting things done

          Practice with vocabulary grow

          Exercise 1: Fill in the blanks

          1. The company plans to _______ its market share in emerging economies by 15% next year.
          2. Effective leaders often _______ their team members' potential through mentorship and challenging assignments.
          3. After years of dedicated research, scientists were finally able to _______ a sustainable energy source.
          4. The quarterly report indicated a significant _______ in customer satisfaction following the service upgrade.

          Exercise 2: Choose the correct answer (there may be multiple correct answers per question)

          1. To achieve a promotion, employees must continuously _______ their skills and knowledge in relevant areas. (a) elevate (b) cultivate (c) grow (d) enhance
          2. The startup managed to _______ its user base significantly after launching its new marketing campaign. (a) expand (b) enlarge (c) grow (d) amplify
          3. Public awareness of climate change has continued to _______ over the past decade, driven by scientific reports and media coverage. (a) mount (b) swell (c) grow (d) escalate
          4. Before the presentation, please _______ your main points into a concise summary for the executives. (a) condense (b) lengthen (c) summarize (d) elaborate
          5. The project team decided to _______ a new strategy to address the unexpected technical challenges. (a) devise (b) execute (c) formulate (d) refine

          Exercise 3: Rewrite the sentences

          1. The company significantly increased its revenue last year. Rewrite using a form of "grow": _________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
          2. It is essential for individuals to constantly develop new skills to stay competitive. Rewrite using "grow": _________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
          3. The team intends to make the project larger and more comprehensive. Rewrite without using "grow" or its forms: _________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

          Answer:

          Exercise 1: Fill in the blanks

          1. The company plans to grow its market share in emerging economies by 15% next year.
          2. Effective leaders often grow their team members' potential through mentorship and challenging assignments.
          3. After years of dedicated research, scientists were finally able to develop a sustainable energy source.
          4. The quarterly report indicated a significant increase in customer satisfaction following the service upgrade.

          Exercise 2: Choose the correct answer

          1. (b) cultivate, (c) grow, (d) enhance
          2. (a) expand, (b) enlarge, (c) grow
          3. (a) mount, (b) swell, (c) grow, (d) escalate
          4. (a) condense, (c) summarize
          5. (a) devise, (c) formulate

          Exercise 3: Rewrite the sentences

          1. The company experienced significant revenue growth last year.
          2. It is essential for individuals to constantly grow their skill set to stay competitive.
          3. The team intends to expand the project to make it more comprehensive.

          Comment ()