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

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 In his study, published in The Journal of Counseling Psychology, Dr. Cokley found that impostorism can augment discrimination some minority groups may already feel, which adds to their stress. — Kristin Wong, New York Times, "Dealing With Impostor Syndrome When You’re Treated as an Impostor," 12 June 2018 Tennessee Tech’s coach realized early on June 4 that a nation of Longhorns had temporarily augmented his team’s fan base. — Nick Moyle, San Antonio Express-News, "UT to battle Tennessee Tech for CWS berth," 8 June 2018 After adding aces Randy Johnson and Curt Schilling, striking gold in Luis Gonzalez and augmenting the roster with other veterans, the Diamondbacks went on to win the 2001 World Series. — Andrew Joseph, For The Win, "Bryan Colangelo's resignation brings back memories of Jerry Colangelo's ousting in Arizona," 7 June 2018 Model homes are meant to be seductive, using upgrades and exterior landscaping to lure buyers, all of which augment the base retail price. — Anthony Alofsin, The Atlantic, "A Defense of the Suburbs," 6 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.