ますます・益々・益・増々・増す増すmasumasu[2]nakadaka (mid-high)

1. adverbincreasingly; more and more
   われわれは彼かれをますます尊敬そんけいした。↗

   We respected him all the more.
2. adverbdecreasingly; less and lesswhen declining

• SynonymいよいよNeutralAlso 'more and more', but far more often means 'finally' or 'about to', as in 「いよいよ明日だ」; 「ますます」 only covers deepening degree.
• Synonym弥いやWrittenLiterary, archaic word for 'increasingly, extremely', seen mainly in waka poetry and compound words; in everyday speech say 「ますます」.
• RelatedなおもってWrittenWritten/formal: 'all the more, increasingly'. In everyday speech use 「ますます」 or 「なおさら」.

Use 「ますます」 when something grows in degree. For 'finally' or 'about to' use 「いよいよ」; in formal prose meaning 'all the more' use 「なおもって」.

Usage comparisons are AI-assisted and cross-checked by multiple models; for study reference only

1. 程度ていどがさらに進すすむさま。
2. 程度ていどがだんだん弱よわまるさま。