At first glance, raising and rising might look interchangeable. They’re not. The real difference comes down to grammar and whether something is acting on its own or being acted upon.

Raising is usually a transitive verb—it needs an object. Someone or something is doing the lifting, pushing, or promoting. There’s an agent making it happen.

Rising is mostly intransitive. It doesn’t take an object because it’s about something moving upward or increasing on its own, without outside help.

Using “Raising”

You use raising when talking about actively lifting something up—physically or in a figurative sense. It’s deliberate. It’s done by someone or a group, and you’ll usually name what’s being raised.

Examples:

  • The community is raising funds to restore the old library.
  • During the concert, the crowd kept raising their hands.
  • The company’s working on raising awareness about climate issues.

Using “Rising”

Rising is for things that go up or grow on their own. It works for literal movement, like the sun, or figurative growth, like prices or emotions. There’s no direct object—it’s the subject itself that’s moving upward.

Examples:

  • The sun is rising earlier each day.
  • With rising costs, families are feeling the strain.
  • He could feel anxiety rising inside him.

Definitions and Parts of Speech

Raising

  • Definition: Lifting something to a higher place, or increasing a level, amount, or quality.
  • As a verb: We’re raising funds for the hospital.
  • As a noun: There will be a pie-raising event at the fairgrounds.
  • Pronunciation: /ˈreɪzɪŋ/

Rising

  • Definition: Moving upward, going higher, or becoming greater in amount or intensity.
  • As a verb: The sun is rising above the horizon.
  • As a noun: The old kingdom faced many risings, like uprisings and revolts.
  • Pronunciation: /ˈraɪzɪŋ/

Quick Way to Remember

If there’s someone or something making it happen—it’s raising. If it’s happening on its own—it’s rising. Raising usually needs a direct object, rising doesn’t.

Both words describe upward movement, growth, and change. But one’s about effort from the outside, the other’s about movement from within.