intensify
verb
in·ten·si·fy
in-ˈten(t)-sə-ˌfī 
intensified; intensifying
: to become intense or more intensive : grow stronger or more acute
1
: to make intense or more intensive : strengthen
2
a
: to make more acute : sharpen
b
: to increase the density and contrast of (a photographic image) by chemical treatment
Examples of intensify in a Sentence
We could hear the wind howling outside as the storm intensified.
They intensified their efforts to increase sales.
an intensified search for survivors
Recent Examples on the Web
As legal battles intensify, the administration faces mounting pressure to justify its actions and resolve a case that has tested the limits of executive authority over immigration enforcement.
—
Amanda Castro, MSNBC Newsweek, 24 Oct. 2025
As our tools have become more efficient, our sense of time famine — the feeling that there’s never enough time — has only intensified.
—Arianna Huffington, Fortune, 24 Oct. 2025
Tropical Storm Melissa is expected to intensify into a major hurricane this weekend and bring catastrophic flash flooding and landslides to parts of the Dominican Republic, Haiti and Jamaica.
—Kenton Gewecke, ABC News, 24 Oct. 2025
What started with conversation at a community meeting intensified online and in real life.
—Tovia Smith, NPR, 24 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for intensify
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Amanda Castro, MSNBC Newsweek, 24 Oct. 2025
As our tools have become more efficient, our sense of time famine — the feeling that there’s never enough time — has only intensified.
—Arianna Huffington, Fortune, 24 Oct. 2025
Tropical Storm Melissa is expected to intensify into a major hurricane this weekend and bring catastrophic flash flooding and landslides to parts of the Dominican Republic, Haiti and Jamaica.
—Kenton Gewecke, ABC News, 24 Oct. 2025
What started with conversation at a community meeting intensified online and in real life.
—Tovia Smith, NPR, 24 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for intensify
Cite this Entry
“Intensify.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/intensify. Accessed 30 Oct. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
intensify
verb
in·ten·si·fy
in-ˈten(t)-sə-ˌfī
intensified; intensifying
: to make or become intense or more intensive
intensifier
noun
-ˈten(t)-sə-ˌfī(-ə)r
Medical Definition
intensify
verb
in·ten·si·fy
in-ˈten(t)-sə-ˌfī
intensified; intensifying
2
a
: to increase the density and contrast of (a photographic image) by special treatment
b
: to make more acute
use of illicit drugs intensified the patient's condition
: to become intense or more intensive : grow stronger or more acute
the sore throat, headache, and fever intensified as the disease progressed
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