magnification

noun

mag·​ni·​fi·​ca·​tion ˌmag-nə-fə-ˈkā-shən 

1

: the act of magnifying

2

a

: the state of being magnified

b

: the apparent enlargement of an object by an optical instrument

called also power

Synonyms of magnification

• exaggeration
• enhancement
• caricature
• coloring
• stretching

Examples of magnification in a Sentence

We used a microscope to examine the cells under magnification.

At higher magnifications the differences between the cells become clear.

Recent Examples on the Web

Our expert reviewer gave the Canon 18x50 IS binoculars four stars and called them 'stargazing ready' thanks to their high 18x magnification and image-stabilization. — Harry Bennett, Space.com, 20 July 2026

The update also adds some customization options to Widgets, a more precise magnification tool, and improved stability with certain Bluetooth devices. — Emma Roth, The Verge, 14 July 2026

To build the dataset, Cheng used a DSLR camera paired with a high-magnification zoom lens to photograph mosquitoes and generate training data for the computer vision model. — Atharva Gosavi, Interesting Engineering, 2 June 2026

Fortunately, thanks to the magnification of the gravitational lensing, QSO1 provides us a fantastic opportunity to find out how far back this relationship holds. — ArsTechnica, 27 May 2026

Word History

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for magnification

• abbreviation
• abomination
• acceleration
• accentuation
• accommodation
• accreditation
• acculturation
• accumulation
• acetylation
• adjudication
• administration
• adulteration

Kids Definition

magnification

noun

mag·​ni·​fi·​ca·​tion ˌmag-nə-fə-ˈkā-shən 

1

: the act of magnifying

2

a

: the state of being magnified

b

: the apparent enlargement of an object by an optical instrument

called also power

Medical Definition

magnification

noun

mag·​ni·​fi·​ca·​tion ˌmag-nə-fə-ˈkā-shən 

1

: the act of magnifying

2

a

: the state of being magnified

b

: the apparent enlargement of an object by an optical instrument that is the ratio of the dimensions of an image formed by the instrument to the corresponding dimensions of the object

called also power