Definition of magnify
magnified
;magnifying
transitive verb
1a : extol, laud while they magnified the art, they often belittled the artist — Havelock Ellisb : to cause to be held in greater esteem or respect
2a : to increase in significance : intensify real drama … will use ugliness to magnify beauty — Alan Mickleb : 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
From the M-W Editors
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 of magnify from the Web
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But the criticism of Court and support for renaming the arena among current players have magnified compared with her previous flash points.
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Pressure intensifies in the postseason, when possessions, turnovers and rebounds are magnified.
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The Cubs live in a World Series-or-bust world, where roster and lineup minutiae become magnified daily — like the woes of the 1 percent — while the Sox operate freer of pressure, knowing minor-league progress matters more than major-league success.
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All of it, simple American greed magnified by a culture of celebrity and, through a fluke presidential election, dropped like a dead squirrel in a chimney into the world's greatest democracy—and, as a result, stinking up the entire joint.
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The sense view costs $1300 and magnifies up to 22.5x.
These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'magnify'. Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Origin and Etymology of magnify
Middle English magnifien, from Anglo-French magnifier, from Latin magnificare, from magnificus
First Known Use: 14th century
MAGNIFY Defined for English Language Learners
magnify
playDefinition of magnify for English Language Learners
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: to make (something) greater
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: to make (something) seem greater or more important than it is
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: to make (something) appear larger
MAGNIFY Defined for Kids
magnify
playDefinition of magnify for Students
magnified
;magnifying
1 : to enlarge in fact or appearance A microscope magnifies an object seen through it.
2 : to cause to seem greater or more important : exaggerate The problem has been magnified by rumors.
Medical Dictionary
magnify
playMedical Definition of magnify
magnified
;magnifying
transitive verb
: to enlarge in appearanceintransitive verb
: to have the power of causing objects to appear larger than they are
Learn More about magnify
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See words that rhyme with magnify Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for magnify Spanish Central: Translation of magnify Nglish: Translation of magnify for Spanish speakers Britannica English: Translation of magnify for Arabic speakers
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