raise heavily

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "raise heavily" is not commonly used in written English and may sound awkward.
It could be used in contexts where you want to emphasize a significant increase or elevation, but it is not a standard expression. Example: "The company decided to raise heavily the prices of their products due to increased production costs."

News & Media

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

2 human-written examples

This may at last force squabbling politicians to act.The winner on February 7th will need to raise heavily subsidised gas prices and cut public spending with a vengeance.

The Economist

The parlous state of the economy means that the winner will need to raise heavily subsidised gas prices and cut public spending with a vengeance.

The Economist

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

56 human-written examples

In their place, the Democratic groups are raising heavily from the party's traditional, pre-Obama sources of campaign cash: trial lawyers, unions and Hollywood.

The New York Times

Mr Yanukovich may appoint a caretaker prime minister, who will implement unpopular reforms, including raising heavily subsidised gas prices, freezing government projects and bringing more of the grey economy into the open to persuade the IMF to restart the lending.Mr Yanukovich's government team is stronger than those of Ms Tymoshenko or Mr Yushchenko.

The Economist

Reagan signed a bill liberalizing abortion laws and, when faced with intractable budget shortfalls, raised taxes heavily.

The New York Times - Books

Mr. Villaraigosa, who was raised in heavily Mexican-American East Los Angeles, expects to win 70 to 80percentt of the Latino vote.

The New York Times

Mr. Medvedev told residents that Russia was prepared to invest heavily to raise living standards there.

The New York Times

By the Dalai Lama's fiftieth anniversary in exile, China had entered the World Trade Organization, invested heavily to raise the standard of living in Tibet, and emerged as an economic behemoth.

The New Yorker

And though the campuses of the city's day schools have historically consisted of little more than classroom buildings, many have felt hard pressed in recent years to raise money and spend heavily on improving facilities to attract students.

The New York Times

On the video, Smith's opponent, a lanky self-proclaimed street fighter named Mike, pops in his mouth guard, and the two men both shirtless and heavily tattooed raise their fists.

The New York Times - Magazine

By summer, Maldonado was struggling to raise money and spending heavily on consultants.

Los Angeles Times

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When aiming for clarity, consider replacing "raise heavily" with more common alternatives like "increase substantially" or "significantly increase" to ensure broader understanding.

Common error

Avoid using "raise heavily" in formal or academic writing. Opt for more conventional phrases such as "significantly increase" or "substantially boost" to maintain a professional tone.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "raise heavily" functions as a verb phrase where "raise" is the verb and "heavily" is an adverb modifying the verb. It's meant to emphasize the degree or intensity of the action of raising. While Ludwig AI points out it's not a standard expression, it aims to convey a substantial increase.

Expression frequency: Rare

Frequent in

News & Media

100%

Science

0%

Formal & Business

0%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "raise heavily" is grammatically acceptable, but not commonly used in English. Ludwig AI indicates that it may sound awkward, advising consideration of alternative phrasing such as "increase substantially" or "significantly increase" for better clarity. Its usage is primarily found in news and media contexts. While the phrase isn't incorrect, choosing more conventional alternatives ensures broader and more effective communication, especially in formal settings.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

Increase substantially

Emphasizes the act of increasing something to a considerable extent, replacing "raise" with "increase" and "heavily" with "substantially".

Significantly increase

Similar to "increase substantially", but uses "significantly" to highlight the importance of the increase.

Substantially boost

Replaces "raise" with "boost", suggesting a more forceful or impactful increase.

Increase considerably

Uses "considerably" to indicate a notable degree of increase, swapping it for the adverb "heavily".

Boost substantially

Similar to "substantially boost", but with a stronger emphasis on the positive outcome of the increase.

Invest significantly

Shifts the focus to investment rather than a general increase, implying that resources are being heavily committed.

Sharply increase

Highlights the rapidity or abruptness of the increase.

Increase sharply

Mirrors "sharply increase", maintaining the emphasis on speed and abruptness.

Aggressively raise

Conveys a more forceful and proactive approach to raising something.

Increase aggressively

Similar to "aggressively raise", but focuses on the intensity of the increasing action.

FAQs

What does "raise heavily" mean?

The phrase "raise heavily" implies a significant increase in something, like prices or investment. However, it's not a standard or commonly used expression in English.

What are some alternatives to "raise heavily"?

You can use alternatives such as "increase substantially", "significantly increase", or "substantially boost" depending on the specific context.

Is it grammatically correct to say "raise heavily"?

While grammatically sound, "raise heavily" is not a typical English phrase. It might sound awkward to native speakers, so consider using more common alternatives for better clarity.

When should I use "raise heavily"?

It's best to avoid "raise heavily" in formal writing or when clear communication is essential. Opt for more widely recognized phrases to avoid confusion or sounding unnatural.