Definition

1. Verb (intransitive):

   • To increase in size, height, or amount through a natural process of development: This is the most common meaning, referring to the physical enlargement of living things like plants, animals, and people, or the increase of something abstract.
   • To develop and mature: To progress from a simpler or younger state to a more advanced or adult state.
   • To come into existence and develop: To originate and then expand or increase.
   • To become gradually or increasingly: To undergo a change in state, condition, or feeling over time.

2. Verb (transitive):

   • To cause to grow; to cultivate or produce: To plant and tend to living things so they develop, or to allow a part of oneself, like hair, to lengthen.

Examples of Usage

• Intransitive Verb:

  • Children grow very quickly during their first few years. (To increase in size)
  • As he grew, he became more responsible. (To develop and mature)
  • A feeling of doubt began to grow in her mind. (To come into existence and develop)
  • The sky grew dark as the storm approached. (To become gradually)

• Transitive Verb:

  • My grandfather grows tomatoes in his garden. (To cultivate)
  • He decided to grow a beard. (To allow to develop on one's body)

Advanced Usage

• "to grow apart": To gradually become less close or connected, often used for relationships.
  • After college, the friends grew apart and lost touch.
• "to grow into something":
  • To become large enough to fit clothing.

    • The shoes are too big now, but she will grow into them.
  • To develop into a particular role or state.

    • He was shy at first but quickly grew into his position as team leader.
• "to grow on someone": To become gradually more liked or appreciated by someone.
  • I didn't like this song at first, but it has really grown on me.

Variants and Related Words

• Growth (n): The process of growing or increasing in size.
  • The rapid growth of the city led to traffic problems.
• Grown (adj): Having reached maturity; adult.
  • A grown man should know better.
• Grower (n): A person or company that grows plants, especially for sale.
  • He is a local fruit grower.
• Outgrow (v): To grow too large for something, or to stop doing something as one matures.
  • She outgrew her clothes every few months.

Synonyms

• Develop: To progress or advance.
• Increase: To become greater in size, number, or degree.
• Mature: To become fully developed.
• Cultivate: To prepare and use land for crops; to try to develop a quality or skill.

Related Phrasal Verbs

• Grow out of:
  • To become too large or mature for something.

    • He has grown out of his childish fears.
  • To develop from something.

    • The project grew out of a simple idea.
• Grow up: To become an adult; to mature.
  • What do you want to be when you grow up?

Related Idioms

• Let the grass grow under one's feet: To delay or be inactive.
  • We need to make a decision now; we can't let the grass grow under our feet.
• Grow like a weed: To grow very quickly (often used for children).
  • Your son has grown like a weed since I last saw him!

Verb

1. become attached by or as if by the process of growth
   • The tree trunks had grown together
2. grow emotionally or mature
   • The child developed beautifully in her new kindergarten
   • When he spent a summer at camp, the boy grew noticeably and no longer showed some of his old adolescent behavior
3. come to have or undergo a change of (physical features and attributes)
   • He grew a beard
   • The patient developed abdominal pains
   • I got funny spots all over my body
   • Well-developed breasts
4. cultivate by growing, often involving improvements by means of agricultural techniques
   • The Bordeaux region produces great red wines
   • They produce good ham in Parma
   • We grow wheat here
   • We raise hogs here
5. come into existence; take on form or shape
   • A new religious movement originated in that country
   • a love that sprang up from friendship
   • the idea for the book grew out of a short story
   • An interesting phenomenon uprose
6. develop and reach maturity; undergo maturation
   • He matured fast
   • The child grew fast
7. cause to grow or develop
   • He grows vegetables in his backyard
8. increase in size by natural process
   • Corn doesn't grow here
   • In these forests, mushrooms grow under the trees
   • her hair doesn't grow much anymore
9. become larger, greater, or bigger; expand or gain
   • The problem grew too large for me
   • Her business grew fast
10. pass into a condition gradually, take on a specific property or attribute; become
    • The weather turned nasty
    • She grew angry