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Raise, Rise, and Raze
Raise, Rise, and Raze
Should I write "raise," "rise," or "raze"?- "Raise" means to elevate (something upwards).
- I will raise the flag.
- "Rise" means to ascend.
- The Sun will rise.
- "Raze" means to destroy.
- I will raze your puny empire to the ground!


More about "Raise," "Rise," and "Raze"
The words "raise," "rise," and "raze" sound similar, and they are often confused (particularly "raise" and "rise" as their meanings are similar).Raise and Rise
The verb "to raise" means to lift or elevate. "To rise" means to ascend from a lower position to a higher position. The past tense of "rise" is "rose." (There is no such word as "rised.")![]() |
He is raising the red ball. With "raise," there is usually something lifting something else. The blue ball is rising. With "rise," the object ascends itself. |
Remember that "raise" is not always about lifting; for example, you can raise a question and raise children.
Example sentences with "raise" and "rise":
- The stagehands need to raise the platform so it is high enough for the whole audience to see the bands.
- Wearing a sheer skirt will rise a few eyebrows.
- The sheer skirt made his eyebrows rise.
- Running the marathon will help to raise funds.
correctly named book- It would be too expensive to rise the remnants of the Titanic.
Raze
"Raze" is a less common word. It means to demolish completely or to delete. (It can also be written "rase." This is not a UK convention. It is simply an alternative spelling.)- The arsonist razed the forest to the ground.
- The plough will raze the ice from the road surface.
- Councils are being forced to raze homes.
Interactive Exercise
Here are three randomly selected questions from a larger exercise, which can be edited, printed to create an exercise worksheet, or sent via email to friends or students.- Do you disagree with something on this page?
- Did you spot a typo?