What Does Raise Mean?
Raise is a verb meaning to lift something up, increase an amount, bring up children, or collect funds. As a noun, it means a pay increase.
Raise functions as a verb / noun.
What Does Raze Mean?
Raze is a verb meaning to completely destroy a building or structure, tearing it down to the ground.
Raze functions as a verb.
Raise vs Raze: Key Differences
| Raise | Raze |
|---|---|
| To lift up, increase, or build | To completely destroy or demolish |
| Opposite meanings (construct vs. destroy) | Opposite meanings (destroy vs. construct) |
| "Raise a building" (build it) | "Raze a building" (demolish it) |
Examples of Raise in a Sentence
- Please raise your hand if you have a question.
- The company plans to raise prices next month.
- They raised three children on the farm.
- She received a 5% raise at her annual review.
Examples of Raze in a Sentence
- The old factory was razed to make room for a park.
- Fire razed several buildings on the block.
- The city council voted to raze the condemned apartment complex.
- Invaders razed the village during the war.
How to Remember the Difference
To raise is to go higher (raise a flag). To raze is to erase completely (raze and erase share the "-aze" ending).
Common Mistakes
| Incorrect | Correct | Why |
|---|---|---|
| The building was raised to the ground. | The building was razed to the ground. | Demolishing requires 'raze.' |
| They razed enough money for the charity. | They raised enough money for the charity. | Collecting funds uses 'raise.' |
| The condemned house will be raised next week. | The condemned house will be razed next week. | Tearing down uses 'raze.' |
If you are unsure which word fits, try Rephrasely's free grammar checker to catch errors instantly.
Frequently Asked Questions
Are 'raise' and 'raze' exact opposites?
When it comes to buildings, yes. 'Raise a building' means to construct it. 'Raze a building' means to demolish it completely. They are antonyms that sound nearly identical.
Is 'raze' commonly used?
'Raze' is less common than 'raise' in everyday conversation but appears regularly in news reports about demolition, war, and urban development.
What does 'razed to the ground' mean?
'Razed to the ground' means completely demolished so that nothing remains standing. Despite sounding like 'raised,' it means the exact opposite.