magnify

verb

mag·​ni·​fy ˈmag-nə-ˌfī 

magnified; magnifying

transitive verb

1

a

: extol, laud

while they magnified the art, they often belittled the artist

—Havelock Ellis

b

: to cause to be held in greater esteem or respect

2

a

: to increase in significance : intensify

real drama … will use ugliness to magnify beauty

—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.

intransitive verb

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

a glass that magnifies greatly

Synonyms

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

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

With less ice covering the surface of the Earth, less sunlight is reflected into space and more heat is absorbed by the ocean, land, and atmosphere, magnifying the warming effect. —Kelly Sims Gallagher, Foreign Affairs, 23 Apr. 2024

As the title would suggest, a foundational religious concept figures prominently in the plot, and as Cecilia’s situation becomes increasingly dire, her plight feels magnified by her status as a stranger in a remote corner of an unfamiliar land. —Brian Lowry, CNN, 21 Mar. 2024

Word History

Etymology

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

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1a

Kids Definition

magnify

verb

mag·​ni·​fy ˈmag-nə-ˌfī 

magnified; magnifying

1

: extol, praise

2

a

: to increase in importance

b

: exaggerate

3

: to enlarge in fact or in appearance

a microscope magnifies an object seen through it

magnifier

-ˌfī(-ə)r

noun

Medical Definition

magnify

verb

mag·​ni·​fy ˈmag-nə-ˌfī 

magnified; magnifying

transitive verb

: to enlarge in appearance

intransitive verb

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