magnify

mag·ni·fy

verb \ˈmag-nə-ˌfī\

mag·ni·fiedmag·ni·fy·ing

Definition of MAGNIFY

transitive verb

1

a : extol, laud

b : to cause to be held in greater esteem or respect

2

a : to increase in significance : intensify

b : exaggerate <magnifies every minor issue to crisis proportions>

3

: to enlarge in fact or in appearance

intransitive verb

: to have the power of causing objects to appear larger than they are

Examples of MAGNIFY

1. The sound was magnified by the calm air.
2. His failures have been magnified by the success of his friends.
3. I don't want to magnify the importance of these problems.
4. The lens magnified the image 100 times.
5. a magnified view of the image

Origin of MAGNIFY

Middle English magnifien, from Anglo-French magnifier, from Latin magnificare, from magnificus

First Known Use: 14th century

Related to MAGNIFY

Synonyms

color, elaborate (on), embellish, exaggerate, hyperbolize, embroider, pad, stretch

Antonyms

abase, degrade, demean, humble, humiliate

Related Words

dress up, gussy up; amplify, enhance, enlarge (on or upon), expand, flesh (out); fudge, hedge; overdo, overdraw, overemphasize, overplay, overstate; emphasize, play up, stress; caricature; satirize

Near Antonyms

belittle, minimize, play down, understate

Rhymes with MAGNIFY

abide by, Adonai, alibi, alkali, amplify, apple-pie, argufy, assegai, azo dye, basify, beautify, butterfly, by-and-by, caddis fly, calcify, certify, Chou En-lai, citify, clarify, classify, coalify, cockneyfy, codify, college try, cottage pie, crucify, cut-and-try, cutie-pie, DIY, damnify, damselfly, dandify, deify, densify, dignify, dobsonfly, do-or-die, dragonfly, dulcify, eagle eye, edify, evil eye, falsify, fancify, fortify, frenchify, fructify, gasify, Gemini, gentrify, glorify, goggle-eye, goldeneye, gratify, Haggai, harvest fly, hexerei, high and dry, hip and thigh, Hokusai, hook and eye, horrify, hoverfly, humble pie, Iceni, justify, kiss good-bye, lazy eye, lignify, liquefy, lithify, Lorelei, lullaby, Madurai, Malachi, Maracay, minify, modify, mollify, Molokai, Mordecai, mortify, multi-ply, multiply, mummify, mystify, nazify, notify, nullify, occupy, old school tie, on standby, on the fly, ossify, overbuy, overfly, overlie, pacify, Paraguay, passerby, peccavi, petrify, PPI, preachify, prettify, private eye, prophesy, purify, putrefy, qualify, quantify, ramify, rarefy, ratify, RBI, rectify, reify, res gestae, robber fly, runner's high, Russify, samurai, sanctify, satisfy, scarify, schwarmerei, semidry, set store by, shepherd's pie, shoofly pie, signify, simplify, Spanish fly, specify, speechify, stratify, stultify, stupefy, sweetie pie, Tenebrae, terrify, testify, tie-and-dye, tigereye, Trans Alai, tumble dry, typify, uglify, underlie, unify, Uruguay, Veneti, verify, versify, vilify, vinify, vitrify, vivify, weather eye, Windsor tie, xanthene dye, yuppify, zombify

mag·ni·fy

verb \ˈmag-nə-ˌfī\   (Medical Dictionary)

mag·ni·fiedmag·ni·fy·ing

Medical Definition of MAGNIFY

transitive verb

: to enlarge in appearance

intransitive verb

: to have the power of causing objects to appear larger than they are