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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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Derived Forms

  • ˈ𾱲ٱԱ, noun
  • ˈ𾱲ٱԱ, adjective
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Other Word Forms

  • 𾱲IJ· noun
  • ܲ·𾱲IJԱ 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.

The arrest appears to heighten the stakes in the Trump administration’s aggressive actions against judges who have challenged its immigration crackdown.

From

That can heighten the risk, according to the Farm Safety Foundation.

From

Because bats have small teeth, their bites typically go unnoticed, heightening the risk of infection.

From

Consumers, businesses and markets are braced for more uncertainty as fears of a global recession have heightened.

From

The plan's publication comes amid heightened fears over Russia's military ambitions in the region, in light of the ongoing full-scale invasion of Ukraine.

From

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