What does "boost" mean?
A push from behind or below, as to one who is endeavoring to climb.
Boost
/buːst/ noun, verb, slang
noun, verb, slang ·Top 500 ·Elementary level
Meaning at a glance
- Primary sense: A push from behind or below, as to one who is endeavoring to climb.
- Grammar: boost is listed as noun, verb, slang.
- Nearest alternatives: encouragement, rise, a leg up, abstract.
- Useful contrasts: depressed, depressing, lower energy state.
- Usage evidence: I think I can reach the branch if you'll give me a boost.
How to use "boost"
- Start with the primary definition, then check the part of speech before placing the word in a sentence.
- Compare nearby synonyms to make sure "boost" carries the exact meaning, tone, and strength you need.
- Use the example sentence as a context check. If your sentence uses the word differently, confirm that the grammar still fits.
Meaning check
- Does the word fit the sentence's grammar?
- Does it match the intended tone rather than only the dictionary definition?
- Would a simpler synonym be clearer for the reader?
- Is there enough surrounding context to prevent ambiguity?
Source and review context
This entry combines structured lexical data with WordToolSet review checks. Definitions, examples, synonyms, and usage notes may come from different source tables, so the page is designed to show evidence from more than one angle before you rely on "boost" in a final draft.
If a word has several senses, prefer the sense that matches your sentence's grammar and surrounding context. A correct definition can still be the wrong choice when the sentence needs a different register, emphasis, or level of specificity.
Before you rely on this definition
Read the first definition as a starting point, then check the example, synonyms, and part of speech before treating "boost" as the right word for your sentence.
If your draft is formal, technical, persuasive, or sensitive, compare "boost" with a nearby alternative so the final choice matches both meaning and reader expectation.
Compare nearby meanings
- Use synonyms when you need a softer, stronger, simpler, or more specific word.
- Use antonyms to check the boundary of the meaning and avoid accidental contrast.
- Use the example sentence to confirm the word behaves naturally in context.
- Keep the original wording when a replacement adds complexity without improving precision.
Definition decision workflow
1. Identify the role
Check whether "boost" is acting as noun, verb, slang in your sentence. A definition is only useful when the grammar matches the way the word is being used.
2. Test the nearest option
Compare it with "encouragement" and other nearby choices to see whether the sentence needs a softer, stronger, or more familiar word.
3. Confirm with context
Use the example sentence below as an evidence check, then read your own sentence out loud to catch tone or rhythm problems.
Review note: Definition pages are checked for source coverage, sentence evidence, synonym support, and editorial insight before they are treated as approval-ready pages. If the evidence is too thin, the page remains available to users but is kept out of the approval-facing indexed inventory.
Final meaning check
Before publishing a sentence with "boost", ask whether the word helps the reader understand the idea faster. A precise word should reduce confusion, not simply make the sentence look more polished.
When the definition, synonym evidence, and example context point in the same direction, the word is usually a safer choice. When they conflict, revise the sentence or choose a clearer alternative.
Definitions
Noun
- 1 A push from behind or below, as to one who is endeavoring to climb.
- 2 the act of giving hope or support to someone wordnet
- 3 Something that helps, or adds power or effectiveness; assistance.
"The controversy gave a boost to the author's sales."
- 4 the act of giving a push wordnet
- 5 A coordinate transformation that changes velocity.
Show 2 more definitions
- 6 an increase in cost wordnet
- 7 A positive intake manifold pressure in cars with turbochargers or superchargers. uncountable
Verb
- 1 To lift or push from behind (one who is endeavoring to climb); to push up. transitive
"Gaddis found that with his broken arm, he couldn't climb the wall. Josh grabbed his foot and boosted him up."
- 2 increase or raise wordnet
- 3 To help or encourage (something) to increase or improve; to assist in overcoming obstacles. broadly, transitive
"This campaign will boost your chances of winning the election."
- 4 give a boost to; be beneficial to wordnet
- 5 To steal. slang, transitive
"It is not at all unusual or suspicious for a woman to spend a good deal of the day out shopping, and feminine clothing styles often make it relatively easy for a female shoplifter to conceal "boosted" merchandise on her person."
Show 6 more definitions
- 6 push or shove upward, as if from below or behind wordnet
- 7 To jump-start a vehicle by using cables to connect the battery in a running vehicle to the battery in a vehicle that won't start. Canada, transitive
"It's easy to boost a dead battery, but this can be dangerous if it's done the wrong way."
- 8 increase wordnet
- 9 To give a booster shot to. transitive
- 10 contribute to the progress or growth of wordnet
- 11 To amplify; to signal boost. transitive
Synonyms
All synonymsAntonyms
Example
"I think I can reach the branch if you'll give me a boost."
Common questions
What is a synonym for "boost"?
Common synonyms include: encouragement, rise, a leg up, abstract, abundance increase, accelerate.
How do you use "boost" in a sentence?
I think I can reach the branch if you'll give me a boost.
How do you pronounce "boost"?
Pronounced /buːst/.
Etymology
Unknown. The verb is first recorded 1815; the noun, 1825. Compare Scots boost (“to move; drive off; shoo away”), bost, boast (“to threaten; scold”), Middle English boosten, bosten (“to threaten”). Possible doublet of boast.