augment

verb

aug·ment | \ȯg-ˈment

augmented; augmenting; augments

Definition of augment

(Entry 1 of 2)

transitive verb

1 : to make greater, more numerous, larger, or more intense The impact of the report was augmented by its timing.

2 : supplement She took a second job to augment her income.

3 grammar : to add an augment to (a verb form) (see augment entry 2)

intransitive verb

: to become augmented

augment

noun

aug·ment | \ˈȯg-ˌment

Definition of augment (Entry 2 of 2)

grammar

: a vowel prefixed or a lengthening of the initial vowel to mark past time especially in Greek and Sanskrit verbs

Other Words from augment Synonyms & Antonyms Choose the Right Synonym More Example Sentences Learn More about augment

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Choose the Right Synonym for augment

Verb

increase, enlarge, augment, multiply mean to make or become greater. increase used intransitively implies progressive growth in size, amount, or intensity his waistline increased with age ; used transitively it may imply simple not necessarily progressive addition. increased her landholdings enlarge implies expansion or extension that makes greater in size or capacity. enlarged the kitchen augment implies addition to what is already well grown or well developed. the inheritance augmented his fortune multiply implies increase in number by natural generation or by indefinite repetition of a process. with each attempt the problems multiplied

Examples of augment in a Sentence

Verb

… a former member of Brunet's team, Jean-Renaud Boisserie of Berkeley, is in the Middle Awash seeking to augment the animal fossil record—particularly that of hippopotamuses. — Rex Dalton, Nature, 5 Jan. 2006 These reserve units will soon be augmented by full-time Maritime Safety and Security Teams. The first of these teams was formed on July 3; a dozen more are supposed to be created within the next three years. — David Helvarg, Popular Science, September 2002 The sale of its shares in such companies has helped augment its cash reserves from $1.7 billion to $2 billion. Call it a rainy-day fund—something that other dot-coms never had. But the move also suggests that even Yahoo has lost faith in the once boundless promise of Internet companies. — Brad Stone, Newsweek, 19 Mar. 2001 The money augmented his fortune. Heavy rains augmented the water supply.

Recent Examples on the Web: Verb

And instead of trying to reinvent mass manufacturing completely on its own, Hay collaborated with Ikea on a collection, augmenting its own expertise with the Swedish retailer’s cost-saving manufacturing techniques. — Diana Budds, Curbed, "Is America ready for Denmark’s coolest design brand?," 1 Nov. 2018 This Project Kit from Black + Decker is a great way to get started, whether to augment an existing arsenal or starting one for a budding DIYer. — Popular Mechanics Editors, Popular Mechanics, "Kickstart Your Tool Collection With 30% Off This Project Kit," 16 Oct. 2018 This pair is built specifically to augment your computer’s audio—plug it in via USB, and your YouTube experience will improve significantly. — Andrew Goble, GQ, "The Best Bookshelf Speakers Are Small Enough to Snuggle with Your Paperbacks and Powerful Enough to Raise the Roof," 19 Mar. 2018 The culprit is the numbers themselves, not the lies that augment them, nor the profits made in doing so. — Ian Bogost, The Atlantic, "All Followers Are Fake Followers," 30 Jan. 2018 Both herds were augmented in recent years with elk transferred from Kentucky. — Paul A. Smith, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, "The first Wisconsin elk hunt comes 23 years after the state reintroduced the animals," 28 Apr. 2018 Many of these state regulations augment a 2010 federal law that requires employers to provide a time and place, other than a bathroom, for mothers to express milk for a year after a child’s birth. — Katie Johnston, BostonGlobe.com, "New perk for nursing moms: Workplace lactation pods signal changing times (and laws)," 10 Apr. 2018 The idea of bringing augmented or virtual reality into museums isn’t new. — Sophie Haigney, SFChronicle.com, "SFMOMA’s Magritte Interpretive Gallery lets people play with artist’s work," 3 July 2018 That can mean anything from taking hormones like estrogen and testosterone to having surgery to remove or augment breasts or reconstruct genitals. — refinery29.com, "The World Health Organization Just Made A Huge Change For Transgender People," 19 June 2018

Recent Examples on the Web: Noun

The Wharton economists, in turn, responded that other administrations have tried over decades to create airtight requirements that federal money augment, not replace, local spending, and that those efforts have routinely failed. — Michael Laris, Washington Post, "As Trump Cabinet secretaries head to Hill, big hurdles remain on infrastructure," 13 Mar. 2018 Contracts are a much more open-ended excuse to explore your environment than hunting skill points and augments in Dishonored 2. — Steven Strom, Ars Technica, "Dishonored: Death of the Outsider," 20 Sep. 2017

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'augment.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.