enlarge

verb

en·large | \ in-ˈlärj

, en-\

enlarged; enlarging

Definition of enlarge

transitive verb

1 : to make larger : extend enlarged the family fortune with new investments

2 : to give greater scope to : expand education may enlarge one's view of the world

3 : to set free enlarge a captive

intransitive verb

1 : to grow larger

2 : to speak or write at length : elaborate let me enlarge upon that point

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

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Choose the Right Synonym for enlarge

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 enlarge in a Sentence

We had the photograph enlarged. as the number of people with cell phones enlarges, more transmission towers will have to be built

Recent Examples on the Web

Pathologists said the autopsies showed the three had internal hemorrhaging, pulmonary edema and enlarged hearts. — Arelis R. Hernández, Washington Post, "Dominican Republic deaths: Autopsies show similarities for all three U.S. victims," 6 June 2019 Between 1989 and 2019, the firm vastly enlarged its global footprint, from offices in 44 cities across 23 countries to offices in more than 130 cities spread across 66 countries today. — Ian Macdougall, Propublica, ProPublica, "The Country That Exiled McKinsey," 14 May 2019 Also, prolonged use of topical steroids like hydrocortisone has been shown to cause skin thinning, increased skin fragility, enlarged blood vessels, and can even result in problems with your adrenal gland (the natural steroid producer in the body). — Shannon Romanowski, SELF, "Does Preparation H Actually Help Treat Puffy Eyes?," 28 Dec. 2018 Jackson Hole, Wyoming, is home to a plethora of pricey real estate, including many that redefine—and enlarge—the definition of your typical ski home. — Megan Barber, Curbed, "Mod mountain retreat asks $11.9M," 9 Nov. 2018 Turnover’s effect Tracking error also can be enlarged by turnover, or the percentage of a fund’s total value that changes hands each year due to investor purchases and redemptions. — Jeff Brown, WSJ, "Why Fund Investors Should Look Beyond Fees," 21 Oct. 2018 While still derived from Skylake, it has been improved to execute more instructions in parallel and with lower latency, and certain buffers and caches have also been enlarged. — Peter Bright, Ars Technica, "Intel unveils a new architecture for 2019: Sunny Cove," 12 Dec. 2018 At age nine, Harper’s heart was already enlarged from ongoing heart disease, which would inevitably progress to congestive heart failure (CHF). — Ace Ratcliff, SELF, "Pet Euthanasia at Home: 6 Ways to Make Putting Down Your Pet Easier on Them—and You," 25 Oct. 2018 The position of junior minister for gender equality, Marlene Schiappa, is enlarged to include all fights against discrimination. — Sylvie Corbet, The Seattle Times, "Macron seeks new start in French govt reshuffle in TV speech," 16 Oct. 2018

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