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

Local organizers have been forced to cap the number of tickets on sale for Winter Olympics events in Cortina d’Ampezzo in February because of concerns over transport congestion, heightened by delays in building a new cable car to take fans up the mountain. —Reuters 6 Hr Ago, CNN Money, 28 Nov. 2025

The combination of dangerous smog levels and chronic water shortages has heightened domestic tensions, with environmental stress increasingly intersecting with political and economic grievances. —Amir Daftari, MSNBC Newsweek, 28 Nov. 2025

Venus in Sagittarius connects with Pluto in Aquarius, heightening our desires and need to control. —Lisa Stardust, Refinery29, 28 Nov. 2025

At a time of record federal deficits, spiking highway deaths, and heightened concern about emissions, subsidizing truck freight makes no economic sense. —Michael F. Gorman, Fortune, 27 Nov. 2025

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