intensify

verb

in·​ten·​si·​fy in-ˈten(t)-sə-ˌfī How to pronounce intensify (audio)
intensified; intensifying

intransitive verb

: to become intense or more intensive : grow stronger or more acute

transitive verb

1
: to make intense or more intensive : strengthen
2
a
: to make more acute : sharpen
b
: to increase the density and contrast of (a photographic image) by chemical treatment
intensification noun

Examples of intensify in a Sentence

We could hear the wind howling outside as the storm intensified. They intensified their efforts to increase sales. an intensified search for survivors
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Scientists, as a group, lean more Democratic and less Republican than the rest of the public, a trend that seems to have intensified in recent decades. Katherine J. Wu, The Atlantic, 23 Aug. 2025 West won't feel the fall preview Folks in the West would welcome some of the chill that will overtake the Midwest and Northeast: Dangerous heat is expected to intensify and expand in coverage over much of the western U.S. into the weekend, the National Weather Service said. Doyle Rice, USA Today, 23 Aug. 2025 Meanwhile, in North America, U.S.-Mexico tensions over the Rio Grande and Colorado River intensified in recent years as drought hampered treaty compliance. Eyal Harel, Forbes.com, 22 Aug. 2025 After a slow start to the North American monsoon season, forecasters say the atmospheric pattern is now intensifying, raising both hopes for drought relief and fears of flash flooding. Theo Burman, MSNBC Newsweek, 22 Aug. 2025 See All Example Sentences for intensify

Word History

First Known Use

1817, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of intensify was in 1817

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Intensify.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/intensify. Accessed 28 Aug. 2025.

Kids Definition

intensify

verb
in·​ten·​si·​fy in-ˈten(t)-sə-ˌfī How to pronounce intensify (audio)
intensified; intensifying
: to make or become intense or more intensive
intensification noun
intensifier
-ˈten(t)-sə-ˌfī(-ə)r
noun

Medical Definition

intensify

verb
in·​ten·​si·​fy in-ˈten(t)-sə-ˌfī How to pronounce intensify (audio)
intensified; intensifying

transitive verb

1
: to make intense or more intensive
2
a
: to increase the density and contrast of (a photographic image) by special treatment
b
: to make more acute
use of illicit drugs intensified the patient's condition

intransitive verb

: to become intense or more intensive : grow stronger or more acute
the sore throat, headache, and fever intensified as the disease progressed
intensification noun

More from Merriam-Webster on intensify

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!