Describing graphs, trends, and changes

Going up

Verbs:

to advance, to climb, to increase, to rise, to grow, to gain ground, to head north, to improve, to go up

Nouns:

an advance, an increase, a rise, a growth, a climb, a hike, an upturn

Going down

Verbs:

to decline, to drop, to fall, to head south, to lose ground, to retreat, to slide, to go down

Nouns:

a decline, a drop, a fall, a retreat, a slide, a downturn

These words used to talk of an upward or downward trend do not in themselves indicate

by how much the index have gone up or down.

Going up by small or

moderate amounts

v

to edge ahead, to edge higher, to edge up, to firm

Going down by small

or moderate amounts

v

to dip, to drift (lower), to ease, to edge down, to edge lower, to slip (lower)

n

a dip, a drift, a slip

Going up

by large amounts

v

to jump, to leap, to roar ahead, to roar up, to rocket, to shoot ahead, to shoot up, to skyrocket, to soar, to surge (ahead)

n

a jump, a leap, a surge

Going down

by large amounts

v

to dive, to nosedive, to plunge, to plummet, to tumble

n

a dive, a nosedive, a plunge, a tumble

Going down fast

by very large amounts

v

to collapse, to crash, to crumble, to slump

n

a crash, a collapse, a slump

No change

to remain stable, to level off, to stay at the same level, to remain constant, to stagnate, to stabilize, to remain steady

Change of direction

to peak, to reach a peak, to top out, to reach a low point, to bottom out, to recover, to rebound, to revive

The amount of increase can also be indicated using these verbs:

to halve, to double, to triple, to quadruple, to increase fivefold