magnify

verb

mag·​ni·​fy ˈmag-nə-ˌfī How to pronounce magnify (audio)
magnified; magnifying

transitive verb

1
a
: extol, laud
while they magnified the art, they often belittled the artistHavelock Ellis
b
: to cause to be held in greater esteem or respect
2
a
: to increase in significance : intensify
real drama … will use ugliness to magnify beautyAlan 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.

intransitive verb

: 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 The already intense scrutiny of Biden’s age was magnified when special counsel Robert Hur raised questions about the president’s mental acuity in his report last month on Biden’s handling of classified information. Zeke Miller, Fortune, 8 Mar. 2024 The report adds to a body of work that shows how global warming, driven by the burning of fossil fuels, can magnify and worsen existing social disparities. Somini Sengupta, New York Times, 5 Mar. 2024 When a fashion house outlives its founder, scrutiny is often magnified by nostalgia. Leah Dolan, CNN, 4 Mar. 2024 However, that quasar’s brightness was magnified by a ‘lensing’ galaxy, reducing its actual luminosity to about 11 trillion suns. Jamie Carter, Forbes, 20 Feb. 2024 That frustration was magnified when the Kraken capitalized on a 3-on-1 break late in the period as Tolvanen fired in a one-timer. Brendan McGair, USA TODAY, 16 Feb. 2024 Three solo artists connect cultures, magnify worlds and disrupt everyday forms. Luann Gibbs, The Enquirer, 11 Feb. 2024 Dodgers Hernández: Shohei Ohtani mindful that his situation on the Dodgers is unique Feb. 9, 2024 Suddenly, every little detail of spring training has been magnified. Jack Harris, Los Angeles Times, 10 Feb. 2024 The team’s depth issues were only magnified when Hill and Waddle dealt with injuries late in the season. Daniel Oyefusi, Miami Herald, 1 Mar. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'magnify.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Middle English magnifien, from Anglo-French magnifier, from Latin magnificare, from magnificus

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1a

Time Traveler
The first known use of magnify was in the 14th century

Dictionary Entries Near magnify

Cite this Entry

“Magnify.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/magnify. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

magnify

verb
mag·​ni·​fy ˈmag-nə-ˌfī How to pronounce magnify (audio)
magnified; magnifying
1
2
a
: to increase in importance
3
: to enlarge in fact or in appearance
a microscope magnifies an object seen through it
magnifier
-ˌfī(-ə)r
noun

Medical Definition

magnify

verb
mag·​ni·​fy ˈmag-nə-ˌfī How to pronounce magnify (audio)
magnified; magnifying

transitive verb

: to enlarge in appearance

intransitive verb

: to have the power of causing objects to appear larger than they are

More from Merriam-Webster on magnify

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