Definition

1. Adjective:

   • Increasing in size, amount, or degree: Describes something that is becoming larger, more numerous, or more intense over time.
   • Developing or maturing: Refers to a living organism in the process of physical development.
   • Suitable for or conducive to growth: Describes conditions that support or promote development.

2. Noun:

   • The process of increasing in physical size: The act or process of becoming larger.
   • The process of cultivation: The act of raising plants or animals.
   • The process of development or maturation: The biological process of an organism changing from a simpler to a more complex form.

Usage Examples

• Adjective:

  • There is a growing concern about climate change. (The amount of worry is increasing.)
  • The growing child needs nutritious food. (The child who is developing.)
  • Spring provides growing conditions for many plants. (Conditions that help plants develop.)

• Noun:

  • The growing of these tomatoes requires a lot of sunlight. (The cultivation of these tomatoes.)
  • Proper nutrition is essential for healthy growing. (The process of physical development.)

Advanced Usage

• "Growing pains": Difficulties experienced during a period of rapid expansion or development.
  • The startup company experienced some growing pains as it expanded internationally.
• In a metaphorical sense, "growing" can describe the increase of abstract concepts.
  • She felt a growing sense of confidence. (The feeling of confidence was becoming stronger.)

Variants and Related Words

• Grow (verb): To increase in size or develop.
• Growth (noun): The process of growing; the result of growing.
• Grown (adjective/adverb): Having reached maturity; fully developed.

Synonyms

• Increasing (adj): Becoming greater in size or number.
• Expanding (adj): Becoming larger in area or scope.
• Developing (adj): Undergoing growth or progress.
• Cultivation (n): The process of growing plants.

Related Phrases

• Growing up: The process of maturing from childhood to adulthood.
  • He wrote a book about his experiences growing up in a small town.
• Growing apart: Becoming less close over time.
  • After college, the old friends slowly started growing apart.

Related Idioms

• A growing trend: A pattern of behavior that is becoming more common.
  • Working from home is a growing trend.
• Still growing into it: Still in the process of adapting to or becoming comfortable with something new (like a role or piece of clothing).
  • He's the new manager and is still growing into the position.

Adjective

1. relating to or suitable for growth
   • the growing season for corn
   • good growing weather

Noun

1. (electronics) the production of (semiconductor) crystals by slow crystallization from the molten state
2. (biology) the process of an individual organism growing organically; a purely biological unfolding of events involved in an organism changing gradually from a simple to a more complex level
   • he proposed an indicator of osseous development in children