magnify

verb

mag·​ni·​fy ˈmag-nə-ˌfī How to pronounce magnify (audio)
magnified; magnifying
Synonyms of magnifynext

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

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
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.
In a country that has seen little but war and economic crisis in the past few decades, almost every social and economic problem is magnified in the camps. Jane Arraf, NPR, 25 May 2026 Flaws are exposed, magnified and exploited. Andy Behrens, New York Times, 25 May 2026 Brightness Booster magnifies pixels to bring out every bit of detail on the screen, while the Bright Room Ready mode makes the visuals pop out no matter what kind of lighting is in the room. George Yang, PC Magazine, 22 May 2026 Supply-side concerns may have also been magnified by the outbreak of the Iran conflict, given the concentration of fertilizer and natural gas exported out of the Persian Gulf. Sj Guest Editorial, Footwear News, 18 May 2026 See All Example Sentences for magnify

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

Time Traveler
The first known use of magnify was in the 14th century

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Magnify.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/magnify. Accessed 27 May. 2026.

Kids Definition

magnify

verb
mag·​ni·​fy ˈmag-nə-ˌfī How to pronounce magnify (audio)
magnified; magnifying
1
2
a
: to increase in importance
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 How to pronounce magnify (audio)
magnified; magnifying

transitive verb

: to enlarge in appearance

intransitive verb

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

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