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as in to develop
to express more fully and in greater detail after filing a report of missing luggage, he was asked to amplify a bit as to the circumstances

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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Synonym Chooser

How does the verb amplify differ from other similar words?

Some common synonyms of amplify are dilate, distend, expand, inflate, and swell. While all these words mean "to increase in size or volume," amplify implies the extension or enlargement of something inadequate.

amplify the statement with details

When is it sensible to use dilate instead of amplify?

Although the words dilate and amplify have much in common, dilate applies especially to expansion of circumference.

dilated pupils

In what contexts can distend take the place of amplify?

The meanings of distend and amplify largely overlap; however, distend implies outward extension caused by pressure from within.

a distended abdomen

When would expand be a good substitute for amplify?

While the synonyms expand and amplify are close in meaning, expand may apply regardless of the manner of increase (such as growth, unfolding, addition of parts).

a business that expands every year

When could inflate be used to replace amplify?

The synonyms inflate and amplify are sometimes interchangeable, but inflate implies expanding by introduction of air or something insubstantial and suggests a vulnerability to sudden collapse.

an inflated ego

When might swell be a better fit than amplify?

The words swell and amplify can be used in similar contexts, but swell implies gradual expansion beyond a thing's original or normal limits.

the bureaucracy swelled to unmanageable proportions

Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of amplify This natural defense mechanism has grabbed our attention this spring, since our weather patterns have lent a hand in amplifying a natural phenomenon. Heather Zidack, Hartford Courant, 12 Apr. 2025 Some appeared to be synergistic (amplifying each other’s effects), while others seemed to be antagonistic (counteracting one another), suggesting that their health impact changes significantly when they’re consumed together. Jenny Lehmann, Discover Magazine, 10 Apr. 2025 Your work amplifies voices from the margins—artists from smaller cities or less privileged backgrounds, such as Badri Valian, Masoumeh Mohtadi, and Hamideh Sobhani, as well as those who support women’s freedom without themselves necessarily rejecting the hijab. Rebecca Ruth Gould, JSTOR Daily, 9 Apr. 2025 Everything, an initiative that highlights the city’s cultural impact; and Brandon Butler, CEO of Butter ATL, a media platform amplifying Atlanta’s voice in digital storytelling. Cassell Ferere, Forbes.com, 4 Apr. 2025 See All Example Sentences for amplify
Recent Examples of Synonyms for amplify
Verb
  • Every formula at Holos is developed, tested, and manufactured in its own facility, allowing the brand to ensure the quality of the products from batch to batch.
    Xandra Harbet, USA Today, 26 Apr. 2025
  • The system developed its top hypothesis with a simple rationale, drawing a link to another research area and coming to a conclusion the human team had taken years to arrive at.
    Matteo Wong, The Atlantic, 25 Apr. 2025
Verb
  • If elected, what would your top 3 policy priorities be? (1) Infrastructure in forms of roads and increased police and fire due to the growing population.
    Matthew Adams, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 20 Apr. 2025
  • What Murray did in the second half was increase his aggression off the dribble.
    Tony Jones, New York Times, 20 Apr. 2025
Verb
  • As the pope’s funeral approached, security around the Vatican intensified.
    Alan Yuhas, New York Times, 27 Apr. 2025
  • President Trump’s recent ultimatum proposing U.S. recognition of Russia’s annexation of Crimea has intensified the diplomatic divide within Europe, forcing European capitals to choose between Kyiv or Washington.
    Katya Soldak, Forbes.com, 27 Apr. 2025
Verb
  • For 2024, the list was expanded to 450 companies and looked at their emissions between 2020 and 2022.
    Elizabeth Weise, USA Today, 22 Apr. 2025
  • Believed to have originated in 15th-century Italy as a card game used by nobility, the original deck was expanded and popularized by 18th-century French occultists; and again later in the 20th century, when modern tarot was born thanks to the Rider-Waite-Smith deck, published in 1909.
    Michaela Trimble, Vogue, 21 Apr. 2025
Verb
  • In November 2024, the renowned pastor suffered a massive heart attack while delivering a sermon on stage at the church, which was a frightening moment that, according to church insiders, accelerated long-standing plans for succession.
    Kimberly Wilson, Essence, 27 Apr. 2025
  • This topic has been brewing for a while, and was accelerated by the injury conversation.
    Colton Pouncy, New York Times, 27 Apr. 2025
Verb
  • His mission is to democratize AI, ensuring that businesses of all sizes can leverage automation to enhance productivity and efficiency.
    Jason Phillips, USA Today, 25 Apr. 2025
  • This approach enables companies to tailor marketing strategies and personalize offerings, thereby enhancing customer engagement and satisfaction.
    Expert Panel®, Forbes.com, 24 Apr. 2025
Verb
  • Invest In Enrichment: Use reliable external sources to supplement your data, helping improve segmentation and message relevance.
    Ryan Ferrier, Forbes.com, 17 Apr. 2025
  • The main question posed at the meeting was whether schools could supplement the new curriculum with other platforms.
    Noah Lyons, San Diego Union-Tribune, 16 Apr. 2025
Verb
  • The most successful implementations use technology to augment human capabilities, providing tools that help people work more efficiently rather than avoiding challenges altogether.
    AJ Bubb, Forbes.com, 17 Apr. 2025
  • Brynjolfsson, in his Daedalus article, suggested changing the tax system to give businesses more incentive to invest in technology that augments labor rather than replaces it.
    John Cassidy, New Yorker, 14 Apr. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Amplify.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/amplify. Accessed 30 Apr. 2025.

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