heighten

verb

ˈhī-tᵊn How to pronounce heighten (audio)
Definition of heightennext
1
as in to intensify
to make markedly greater in measure or degree several controversial measures have heightened parental awareness of the impact of school policy decisions

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to lift
to move from a lower to a higher place or position heightened the hem on her skirt just a couple of inches

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of heighten North Korea on Monday fired multiple ballistic missiles toward its eastern waters, South Korea's military said, adding to a recent streak of weapons demonstrations that has heightened tensions during a prolonged freeze in diplomacy. — CBS News, 12 Oct. 2026 There is no indication the charity intends to share its classrooms’ recordings with anybody else, but fears about the potential misuse of surveillance technology are heightened in Gaza after three years of war. — ABC News, 9 Oct. 2026 Telecom providers — SpaceX moved to boost its Starlink Mobile service , heightening competition concerns around legacy telecom carriers. — Scott Schnipper, CNBC, 9 Oct. 2026 Related Stories Of course, the Kings have long had a keen eye for distilling and (just barely) heightening the absurdities of modern life. — Alison Herman, Variety, 8 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for heighten
Recent Examples of Synonyms for heighten
  1. intensify
  2. lift
  3. enhance
  4. elevate
  5. deepen
  6. raise
  7. strengthen
  8. uplift
Verb
  • The complex political and economic climate has only intensified their desire to invest their own time and resources in uplifting other Latino and Hispanic creatives.
    — Terry Tang, Los Angeles Times, 12 Oct. 2026
  • Their push intensified as questions emerged about district contracts and payments involving a consultant with ties to Sneed.
    — Charlotte Observer, Charlotte Observer, 12 Oct. 2026
Definition of intensify
Verb
  • Low clouds that developed overnight gradually lifted and scattered, allowing more sunshine and temperatures to climb into the lower 90s.
    — Michael Autovino, CBS News, 13 Oct. 2026
  • Colorado Sports Betting Laws and Timeline When the federal ban on sports betting was lifted, Colorado was among the first to act.
    — OutKick, FOXNews.com, 13 Oct. 2026
Definition of lift
Verb
  • Pierce and Kember were born in the same place on the same day, a lore-enhancing coincidence too stupid to make up.
    — Gabriel Szatan, Pitchfork, 18 Oct. 2026
  • Here will be the makings of an 85-acre live-work-play sector of the city that theoretically will seamlessly nestle into a neighborhood and enhance everything from The Crossroads Arts District to Union Station and the National WWI Museum & Memorial.
    — Kansas City Star, Kansas City Star, 17 Oct. 2026
Definition of enhance
Verb
  • Where a sneaker or flat might’ve kept the outfit in the casual realm, the trendy pump silhouette elevated the ensemble a notch.
    — Jaden Thompson, Footwear News, 14 Oct. 2026
  • The agency will also hike the maximum amount of earnings subject to the Social Security tax, elevating the taxable income limit from $184,500 to $192,300.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 14 Oct. 2026
Definition of elevate
Verb
  • While security is by far the most pressing priority, new projections from the IMF have revealed the war’s deepening economic toll.
    — semafor.com, semafor.com, 16 Oct. 2026
  • Washington, for its part, is creating friction in many of its partnerships instead of deepening them, and risks squandering its network just as its adversaries are learning to make more of theirs.
    — Andrea Kendall-Taylor, Foreign Affairs, 16 Oct. 2026
Definition of deepen
Verb
  • Hackers raised the temperature of refrigerators and freezers, sparking fires and causing food to spoil.
    — Miranda Jeyaretnam, Time, 13 Oct. 2026
  • People find collaborators over drinks, and someone reluctant to raise a hand in an auditorium might ask a question after a little social lubrication.
    — Philip Martin, Arkansas Online, 13 Oct. 2026
Definition of raise
Verb
  • Since 2021 the company has also been intent on strengthening its distribution channels and showrooms across Asia, Europe and North America.
    — Sofia Celeste, Footwear News, 15 Oct. 2026
  • The work is intended to help transfer specialized nuclear-submarine design knowledge, improve technical coordination and strengthen the industrial capabilities required to build and sustain advanced submarines over their operational lifetimes.
    — Prabhat Ranjan Mishra, Interesting Engineering, 15 Oct. 2026
Definition of strengthen
Verb
  • He’s decided to use the massive platform that is Old Navy to uplift his colleagues at home.
    — José Criales-Unzueta, Vanity Fair, 24 Sep. 2026
  • And uplifted by his relationships with current broadcast partners Ryan Lefebvre (since 1999), Steve Stewart (since 2008) and Jake Eisenberg (since 2023).
    — Kansas City Star, Kansas City Star, 24 Sep. 2026
Definition of uplift

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height
heighten
heightened
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Cite this Entry

“Heighten.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/heighten. Accessed 20 Oct. 2026.

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