// resume power verbs
Another word for "Increase" on a resume
"Increase" is the default verb for anything that went up, so recruiters see it dozens of times per stack of resumes and stop registering it. Stating that a number rose isn't the same as showing what you did to move it. A verb that names the lever you pulled — paired with the metric — reads as a deliberate win rather than a lucky trend.
Why "increase" weakens your resume
"Increase" describes the outcome but skips the action, so it reads as something that happened rather than something you caused. Recruiters can't tell whether you engineered the gain or simply reported it. Verbs like "Grow," "Generate," or "Expand" name your contribution, and the number proves the size of it. ATS keyword matching also rewards active, specific verbs over generic result words, so pairing the right verb with a hard figure works on both readers — human and machine.
20 stronger words for "increase"
Grow
when you expanded revenue, users, or headcount over a period of time
Expand
when you widened scope, market coverage, or capacity
Accelerate
when you sped up the rate at which a metric climbed
Boost
when you produced a sharp, quantifiable jump in a number
Raise
when you lifted a rate, score, or standard to a higher level
Scale
when you increased output or capacity without proportional cost
Amplify
when you magnified the output of an existing channel or effect
Maximize
when you pushed a metric to its highest achievable level
Generate
when you created new volume of leads, revenue, or output from scratch
Double
when the metric grew exactly 2x — cite the literal figure
Triple
when the metric grew 3x — a concrete, credible claim
Multiply
when growth was several-fold and you can name the factor
Extend
when you lengthened reach, contract value, or customer tenure
Elevate
when you raised a qualitative measure such as rating or ranking
Propel
when a specific initiative pushed a metric sharply upward
Surpass
when you climbed past a target or prior record — name both
Outpace
when your growth beat a benchmark, competitor, or prior period
Strengthen
when you enlarged a base such as pipeline, margin, or reserves
Widen
when you increased a gap, margin, or spread in your favor
Build
when you grew something cumulatively over time, like a pipeline or audience
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Check my resume free →Before / after: bullets that drop "increase"
Increase sales in my region.
✍️ Grow regional revenue 28% year over year by launching a referral program across 40 accounts.
Increase website traffic.
✍️ Expand organic traffic from 12K to 47K monthly visits through a 90-article SEO push.
Increase customer retention.
✍️ Raise 12-month retention from 71% to 88% by rebuilding the renewal workflow.
Frequently asked questions
Is "increase" a good word for a resume?
It's acceptable, but it describes the outcome without the action that produced it. "Increase" works best when replaced by a verb that names your contribution — Grow, Generate, Expand — with the metric kept intact. That reads as a deliberate achievement rather than a trend you observed.
What can I say instead of "increase" on a resume?
Match the verb to the lever: "Grow" for revenue or headcount over time, "Generate" for new volume created from scratch, "Accelerate" for a faster rate, "Raise" for a rate or score. Keep the number no matter which you choose.
Do I need a number every time I use an increase verb?
Nearly always. A growth verb without a figure is an unverifiable claim. If you genuinely can't share an exact number, use a range, a percentage, or a relative comparison — anything concrete beats a bare "increased."
Keep improving your resume
- What an ATS is and how it works
- The ATS-friendly resume template
- How ATS keyword matching works
- The ATS-friendly resume format
- Why resumes get rejected by ATS
- Free ATS checker with no signup
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