heighten

verb

height·​en ˈhī-tᵊn 

heightened; heightening ˈhī-tᵊn-iŋ 

ˈhīt-niŋ

transitive verb

1

a

: to increase the amount or degree of : augment

heighten interest in the book

heighten tensions in the region

b

: to make brighter or more intense : deepen

… slowly rubbing the gold piece … as if to heighten its lustre …

—Herman Melville

c

: to bring out more strongly : point up

… uses the camera to punctuate and heighten the story.

—Stacey Bell

d

: to make more acute : sharpen

heighten the contrast on a monitor

2

a

: to raise high or higher : elevate

b

: to raise above the ordinary or trite

heightened prose

3

obsolete : elate

intransitive verb

1

archaic : grow, rise

2

a

: to become great or greater in amount, degree, or extent

b

: to become brighter or more intense

Synonyms of heighten

• intensify
• enhance
• deepen
• strengthen

Examples of heighten in a Sentence

The plan will only heighten tensions between the two groups.

This tragedy has heightened our awareness of the need for improved safety measures.

Tensions between the two groups have heightened.

Recent Examples on the Web

Those humans who currently get degrees in philosophy tend to find gainful employment not because organizations need philosophers, but because companies want people who have strong writing skills, can do analyses, think in abstractions, and have heightened communication skills. —Lance Eliot, Forbes.com, 22 May 2026

Everything feels heightened and more exciting. —Ct Jones, Rolling Stone, 22 May 2026

Mayor Gloria, in an interview with CBS News, said that the polarized state of our politics heightens tensions and that messages of unity and tolerance don’t always generate the clicks on social media. —Deputy Managing Editor, Los Angeles Times, 20 May 2026

The display of nuclear capability can increase uncertainty and heighten concerns about potential miscalculations during a period of ongoing conflict. —Prabhat Ranjan Mishra, Interesting Engineering, 20 May 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1523, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1a

Rhymes for heighten

• brighten
• chitin
• frighten
• lighten
• phaeton
• tighten
• titan
• triton
• whiten
• enlighten
• exciton
• periphyton

Kids Definition

heighten

verb

height·​en ˈhīt-ᵊn 

heightened; heightening ˈhīt-niŋ 

-ᵊn-iŋ

1

: to make or become brighter or greater

heightened the citizens' awareness

2

: to raise high or higher : elevate