increase the cost

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "increase the cost" is correct and can be used in written English.
For example, you could use it in a sentence such as: "The store has decided to increase the cost of certain items due to recent supply chain issues."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Formal & Business

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

Loans increase the cost of college.

The New York Times

That will increase the cost".

The New York Times - Health

"This will increase the cost of flying".

The New York Times

"That's going to increase the cost in the long run".

The New York Times - Style

"This will increase the cost of their cooperation with Putin.

The Washington Post

However, it will certainly increase the cost of the project.

Procedia Engineering

These barriers increase the cost of conducting SLRs.

Information and Software Technology

Adding the swans would increase the cost of the gifts by 8.1percentt from last year.

The New York Times

To offset that cost, Democrats change other features, in ways that increase the cost to beneficiaries.

The New York Times

And that could increase the cost of flying for airlines and passengers.

The New York Times

Work delayed because of insufficient resources will simply increase the cost of doing it later.

The Guardian

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When discussing economic impacts, use "increase the cost" to clearly convey that expenses or prices are rising. This phrase is direct and easily understood in various contexts.

Common error

Instead of saying something is "becoming expensive", use "increase the cost" to explicitly state that the cost is rising. This provides a clearer and more direct message.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "increase the cost" primarily functions as a verb phrase, where "increase" acts as the verb and "the cost" serves as the direct object. This indicates an action that directly impacts the expense associated with something. Ludwig AI confirms the correctness of this phrase.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

55%

Science

25%

Formal & Business

15%

Less common in

Wiki

3%

Academia

1%

Reference

1%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "increase the cost" is a common and grammatically sound expression used to indicate a rise in expenses or prices. As confirmed by Ludwig AI, it's widely employed across various contexts, primarily in news, science, and business. Its neutral to professional register makes it suitable for diverse audiences. Related phrases include "drive up the cost" and "escalate the price". When using this phrase, it's important to be direct and explicit about the rise in expenses, avoiding vague alternatives. Be mindful of potential factors contributing to cost increases, such as material prices and regulatory changes.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

drive up the cost

Uses a more dynamic verb to emphasize the upward pressure on prices.

escalate the price

Replaces "cost" with "price" and uses a stronger verb, "escalate", to indicate a rapid increase.

raise the expenses

Substitutes "cost" with "expenses", offering a slightly more formal tone.

inflate the value

Implies an artificial or unwarranted rise in price or cost.

drive the price higher

Uses a different structure to emphasize the direction of the cost change.

augment the expenditure

Replaces "increase" with "augment" and "cost" with "expenditure", resulting in a more formal and less common phrasing.

add to the price tag

A more idiomatic expression that highlights the accumulation of costs.

contribute to higher costs

Shifts the focus to the factors that lead to increased costs.

push prices up

A more informal and direct way of saying that prices are being raised.

make more costly

Uses a different grammatical structure to express the same idea.

FAQs

How can I use "increase the cost" in a sentence?

You can use "increase the cost" to indicate that expenses or prices are rising. For example, "New regulations will "increase the cost" of manufacturing."

What are some alternatives to "increase the cost"?

Alternatives include "drive up the cost", "escalate the price", or "raise the expenses", depending on the context.

Is it better to say "increase the cost" or "raise the cost"?

Both "increase the cost" and "raise the cost" are grammatically correct and widely used. "Increase" is slightly more formal, while "raise" is more common in everyday conversation.

What factors might "increase the cost" of a product?

Factors that might "increase the cost" include rising material prices, higher labor costs, increased transportation expenses, and new government regulations.