boost

USAGE SUMMARY

The word "boost" is correct and usable in written English.
You can use it to refer to something that increases or improves something else, as in: "This new technology will give our business a boost."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Formal & Business

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

Britain's national interest demands that we maximise our influence and use that influence to boost growth, trade and jobs.

The Guardian

Li's retirement from tennis may have robbed Melbourne of a defending champion but it has given Kvitova a boost that could yet see her add to her two Wimbledon titles over the next fortnight.

The Guardian - Sport

Yet, although even the IMF is crying out for the classic Keynesian boost to infrastructure spending, there is precious little sign of a favourable response from policymakers, especially in the beleaguered eurozone.

The Guardian

It gives the ecosystem a holistic boost, encouraging wildlife like bush pigeons and rabbits to return, and providing welcome human benefits such as wood cuttings for cooking and new food sources such as tamarind.

The Guardian

So the already well-off get an extra boost.

The Guardian - Opinion

I thought the only solution was to bring in user charges to give it a funding boost.

The Guardian

And remember, most students have to balance their studies with working part-time to boost their finances.

The Guardian

The service charge would be split among servers and cooks, which would give servers roughly the same income if they also get a 5% tip, but would mainly help to boost the cooks' pay to closer to $20, he said.

The Guardian - Business

Bundling in Sky would also give Murdoch's online subscription model for the Times and Sunday Times as well as the Sun a boost.

The Guardian

But even when a Draghi boost comes, it is unlikely to be effective.

The Guardian

He unveiled a package of measures for the next three years to help boost growth, including investment in infrastructure projects and tax breaks for start-up companies, and help to get young people into work, as well as sweeteners to help families meet household bills.

The Guardian

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "boost" to emphasize a positive and noticeable improvement or increase in a specific area. For example, "This investment will boost our economic growth."

Common error

Avoid using "boost" as a generic substitute for more precise verbs like "help" or "support". Specify what kind of improvement you expect to achieve. Instead of "This will boost the project", try "This will accelerate the project's completion".

Linguistic Context

The word "boost" primarily functions as a verb or noun, indicating an action or instance of improving, increasing, or encouraging something. As seen in Ludwig's examples, it's used to describe the act of giving something a positive push or enhancement.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

35%

Formal & Business

30%

Science

20%

Less common in

Academia

5%

Encyclopedias

5%

Wiki

5%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "boost" is a versatile term used to signify an improvement or increase, applicable across various contexts. As Ludwig AI confirms, it's grammatically correct and commonly employed in news, business, and scientific domains. To maximize its impact, ensure the context clearly reflects a specific and tangible enhancement rather than a vague positive effect. Alternatives like "enhance", "increase", or "promote" can offer nuanced meanings depending on the desired emphasis. Its frequent use in authoritative sources such as The Guardian and BBC underscores its reliability and widespread acceptance.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

enhance

Implies improving the quality, value, or extent of something.

augment

Suggests adding to something to increase its size or value.

increase

A general term for making something larger or greater.

promote

Focuses on advancing or encouraging something.

strengthen

Implies making something more robust or resilient.

amplify

Indicates increasing the intensity or effect of something.

accelerate

Suggests speeding up the progress or development of something.

develop

Focuses on growing or improving something over time.

foster

Implies nurturing or encouraging the growth of something.

cultivate

Focuses on carefully developing or improving something.

FAQs

How can I use "boost" in a sentence?

You can use "boost" to describe an action that improves or increases something, such as "This new marketing campaign will "help increase" sales".

What are some alternatives to the word "boost"?

Depending on the context, you could use words like "enhance", "increase", or "promote" instead of "boost".

Is it better to say "boost morale" or "improve morale"?

Both "boost morale" and "improve morale" are correct, but "boost morale" suggests a more immediate and noticeable positive effect, while "improve morale" implies a gradual betterment.

What's the difference between "boost" and "augment"?

"Boost" generally means to improve or increase something, while "augment" means to add something to it in order to improve it. For example, "boost performance" vs "augment resources".