magnify
verb
mag·ni·fy
ˈmag-nə-ˌfī 
magnified; magnifying
1
2
a
: to increase in significance : intensify
real drama … will use ugliness to magnify beauty—
Alan Mickle
Alan Mickle
b
: exaggerate
magnifies every minor issue to crisis proportions
3
: to enlarge in fact or in appearance
The lens magnified the image 100 times.
: to have the power of causing objects to appear larger than they are
a glass that magnifies greatly
Examples of magnify in a Sentence
The sound was magnified by the calm air.
His failures have been magnified by the success of his friends.
I don't want to magnify the importance of these problems.
The lens magnified the image 100 times.
a magnified view of the image
Recent Examples on the Web
The urgency to extend Kempe is magnified by the reality of losing the great Anze Kopitar after this season.
—Pierre Lebrun, New York Times, 16 Oct. 2025
After losing her home in a California wildfire, Timoner exposes inequities magnified by disaster.
—Clayton Davis, Variety, 14 Oct. 2025
In fact this negative perception is likely magnified depending on the status of the relationship.
—Maggie Hennessy, Bon Appetit Magazine, 14 Oct. 2025
When the light of distant objects passes near another large cosmic object, it is curved and magnified.
—Chris Young, Interesting Engineering, 10 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for magnify
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Pierre Lebrun, New York Times, 16 Oct. 2025
After losing her home in a California wildfire, Timoner exposes inequities magnified by disaster.
—Clayton Davis, Variety, 14 Oct. 2025
In fact this negative perception is likely magnified depending on the status of the relationship.
—Maggie Hennessy, Bon Appetit Magazine, 14 Oct. 2025
When the light of distant objects passes near another large cosmic object, it is curved and magnified.
—Chris Young, Interesting Engineering, 10 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for magnify
Cite this Entry
“Magnify.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/magnify. Accessed 18 Oct. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
magnify
verb
mag·ni·fy
ˈmag-nə-ˌfī
magnified; magnifying
2
a
: to increase in importance
b
3
: to enlarge in fact or in appearance
a microscope magnifies an object seen through it
magnifier
noun
-ˌfī(-ə)r
Medical Definition
magnify
verb
mag·ni·fy
ˈmag-nə-ˌfī
magnified; magnifying
: to enlarge in appearance
: to have the power of causing objects to appear larger than they are
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