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View synonyms for

heighten

[hahyt-n]

verb (used with object)

  1. to increase the height of; make higher.

  2. to increase the degree or amount of; augment.

    Cézanne's death heightened the value of his paintings.

  3. to strengthen, deepen, or intensify.

    to heighten the plot of a story; to heighten one's awareness or appreciation; to heighten one's suffering.

  4. to bring out the important features of, as in a drawing.

    to heighten a picture with Chinese white.



verb (used without object)

  1. to become higher.

  2. to increase.

    The tension heightened as the enemy forces advanced.

  3. to brighten or become more intense.

heighten

/ ˈɪə /

verb

  1. to make or become high or higher

  2. to make or become more extreme or intense

“Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged” 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
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Other Word Forms

  • heightener noun
  • unheightened adjective
  • ˈ𾱲ٱԱ noun
  • ˈ𾱲ٱԱ adjective
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Word History and Origins

Origin of heighten1

First recorded in 1515–25; height + -en 1
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Synonym Study

See elevate.
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Example Sentences

Examples have not been reviewed.

Marty’s world is a heightened version of the discord we’re experiencing these days, but the calamities and the characters’ detachment from them don’t feel far from our reality.

From

That heightened military presence was on show this weekend as a Danish naval frigate sailed around Nuuk Fjord and helicopters circled over the town.

From

Minnesota, already a flashpoint for national debates on policing and public safety following the 2020 murder of George Floyd in Minneapolis, has faced heightened tensions in recent years between officials and extremist groups.

From

That can put them on edge and heighten their separation anxiety, Langan said, and if their owners are depressed or grief-stricken about loss and uncertainty, the animals absorb those emotions too.

From

“Prosecutors wield tremendous authority and discretion, and with that comes a heightened responsibility to adhere to the ethical standards of the legal profession,” said State Bar Chief Trial Counsel George Cardona.

From

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heightheightism