aggrandize

verb

ag·​gran·​dize ə-ˈgran-ˌdīz 

 also  ˈa-grən-

aggrandized; aggrandizing

transitive verb

1

: to make great or greater : increase, enlarge

aggrandize an estate

2

: to make appear great or greater : praise highly

3

: to enhance the power, wealth, position, or reputation of

exploited the situation to aggrandize himself

aggrandizement

ə-ˈgran-dəz-mənt 

-ˌdīz-

 also  ˌa-grən-ˈdīz-

noun

aggrandizer

ə-ˈgran-ˌdī-zər 

 also  ˈa-grən-

noun

Did you know?

Aggrandize is a grand word, and we don’t just mean that in praise. The word literally traces back to the Latin adjective grandis, meaning "grand," and it has enhanced the English language for over three centuries. Nowadays, aggrandize is often paired with self (either the word or the prefix: to "aggrandize oneself" or to "be self-aggrandizing" is to glorify oneself, or to intently pursue power, wealth, and the like. It's of course great to take pride in a job well done, but we stan those who keep it real—after all, not every hit can be a grand slam.

Synonyms

• elevate
• promote

Examples of aggrandize in a Sentence

a movie that aggrandizes the bad guys and makes the cops look like dopes

a generous grant, enabling the library to significantly aggrandize its collection

Recent Examples on the Web

Part of him wants to aggrandize the country to reflect his own inflated self-conception. —Michelle Goldberg, Mercury News, 23 Oct. 2025

Throughout the war, state-run media have aggrandized Russian wins on the battlefield, while downplaying or ignoring news to the contrary. —Holly Ellyatt, CNBC, 15 Aug. 2025

This was a quintessential Kornet moment, surreptitiously aggrandizing while capturing the spirit of his accomplishment. —Jared Weiss, New York Times, 15 May 2025

Yet so far two major law firms, Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom, LLP and Paul Weiss have given in to short term greed and paid off the don who lives in the White House and uses our government to extort money solely to enrich and aggrandize himself. —Josh Hammer, MSNBC Newsweek, 1 Apr. 2025

Word History

Etymology

borrowed (with assimilation of the ending to -ize) from French agrandiss-, stem of agrandir, going back to Old French, from a-, verb-forming prefix (going back to Latin ad- ad-) + -grandir, verbal derivative of grand "large, great," going back to Latin grandis "fully grown, large, great" — more at grand entry 1

First Known Use

1634, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for aggrandize

• advertise
• agonize
• alibis
• alkalies
• alkalis
• amortize
• amplifies
• analyse
• analyze
• anywise
• authorize
• butterflies

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Kids Definition

aggrandize

verb

ag·​gran·​dize ə-ˈgran-ˌdīz 

 also  ˈag-rən-

aggrandized; aggrandizing

: to make great or greater (as in power, wealth, or reputation)

aggrandizement

ə-ˈgran-dəz-mənt 

-ˌdīz-

 also  ˌag-rən-ˈdīz-mənt

noun

aggrandizer noun