magnify
verb
mag·ni·fy
ˈmag-nə-ˌfī 
magnified; magnifying
1
2
a
: to increase in significance : intensify
… real drama … will use ugliness to magnify beauty …—
Alan Mickle
Alan Mickle
b
: exaggerate
magnifies every minor issue to crisis proportions
3
: to enlarge in fact or in appearance
The lens magnified the image 100 times.
: to have the power of causing objects to appear larger than they are
a glass that magnifies greatly
Examples of magnify in a Sentence
The sound was magnified by the calm air.
His failures have been magnified by the success of his friends.
I don't want to magnify the importance of these problems.
The lens magnified the image 100 times.
a magnified view of the image
Recent Examples on the Web
For lower-income families, who often face even shorter appointments and have fewer options for follow-up visits, that limitation can get magnified.
—Washington Post, 9 Jan. 2026
In Cancer, feelings are magnified, memories resurface and the instinct to retreat or overindulge can clash with Capricorn’s demand for discipline and results.
—Valerie Mesa, PEOPLE, 9 Jan. 2026
Detroit’s third pairing has had some real issues breaking the puck out, and those are only going to be magnified against playoff-level forechecks down the home stretch.
—Max Bultman, New York Times, 7 Jan. 2026
But Yemen, Sudan and the Horn of Africa lie far closer to Saudi Arabia than to the UAE, magnifying Riyadh’s sense of exposure.
—Abbas Al Lawati, CNN Money, 5 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for magnify
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Washington Post, 9 Jan. 2026
In Cancer, feelings are magnified, memories resurface and the instinct to retreat or overindulge can clash with Capricorn’s demand for discipline and results.
—Valerie Mesa, PEOPLE, 9 Jan. 2026
Detroit’s third pairing has had some real issues breaking the puck out, and those are only going to be magnified against playoff-level forechecks down the home stretch.
—Max Bultman, New York Times, 7 Jan. 2026
But Yemen, Sudan and the Horn of Africa lie far closer to Saudi Arabia than to the UAE, magnifying Riyadh’s sense of exposure.
—Abbas Al Lawati, CNN Money, 5 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for magnify
Cite this Entry
“Magnify.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/magnify. Accessed 11 Jan. 2026.
Copy CitationKids Definition
magnify
verb
mag·ni·fy
ˈmag-nə-ˌfī
magnified; magnifying
2
a
: to increase in importance
b
3
: to enlarge in fact or in appearance
a microscope magnifies an object seen through it
magnifier
noun
-ˌfī(-ə)r
Medical Definition
magnify
verb
mag·ni·fy
ˈmag-nə-ˌfī
magnified; magnifying
: to enlarge in appearance
: to have the power of causing objects to appear larger than they are
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