“Lift” vs. “Raise”: What’s the Difference?

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The difference between “lift” and “raise”

  • The action of lifting is more focused on moving something or someone upward, while raising can involve building or increasing something.
  • "Lift" tends to refer to physically moving something up, whereas "raise" can be used in a more abstract sense.
  • The word "lift" can imply making something easier to carry or handle, while "raise can indicate improving or advancing something.
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What is the definition of “lift” and “raise”?

Lift
  • To raise or elevate to a higher position.
  • To move or carry something upward.
  • To make lighter or lessen the weight of something.
Raise
  • To cause someone or something to be lifted up to a higher position.
  • To build or construct something new.
  • To increase or improve the level or amount of something.

Which is the more popular variant on the Internet?

“Raise” is the more popular variant on the web.
Lift
578,000,000 results on the web
Examples
  1. She bent to lift the heavy box onto the shelf.
  2. The hot air balloon began to lift off the ground.
  3. He had to use the crane to lift the car out of the ditch.
More popular
Raise
1,110,000,000 results on the web
Examples
  1. The teacher asked the class to raise their hands if they knew the answer.
  2. They plan to raise funds for the animal shelter this weekend.
  3. The company announced they will raise employee salaries next year.
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