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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 But his draft-day trades in recent years have been particularly regrettable, a reality that was amplified on Sunday. Barry Jackson, Miami Herald, 5 Oct. 2025 The moon’s clash with Uranus amplifies tensions with a business partner or colleague today. Usa Today, USA Today, 4 Oct. 2025 The most successful businesses will be those who learn to collaborate with AI, using it as a powerful tool to amplify their vision, enhance their workforce and execute with relentless efficiency. Derya Matras, Fortune, 4 Oct. 2025 However, Swift’s version adopts a more menacing tone, amplifying themes of manipulation, profit and loyalty in the context of the music industry. Megan Cartwright, MSNBC Newsweek, 3 Oct. 2025 See All Example Sentences for amplify
Recent Examples of Synonyms for amplify
Verb
  • That developed into work as a sports agate clerk – editing and coding the different box scores for print on our ‘Scoreboard’ page at the time.
    Nicole Young, Nashville Tennessean, 5 Oct. 2025
  • When multiple family members develop colon cancer, it's considered hereditary colon cancer.
    Lindsay Curtis, Health, 4 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • That, alongside Newcastle’s desire to spread the fee over multiple years (whereas Como were going to pay in one lump sum), led to Milan increasing their asking price.
    Chris Waugh, New York Times, 7 Oct. 2025
  • Milwaukee is not alone in seeking to implement or increase a wheel tax to raise local revenue.
    Vanessa Swales, jsonline.com, 6 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • Human rights advocates say Israel’s destruction of health infrastructure and intensified hostilities have hampered efforts to document the full scope of famine in Gaza.
    Soph Warnes, CNN Money, 2 Oct. 2025
  • As the winds intensified, power lines across the city started to fault.
    Chiara Eisner, NPR, 2 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • The nursery did well, so Kids Planet began to expand.
    Rebecca Ann Hughes, Fortune, 9 Oct. 2025
  • The team plans to expand the research to evaluate inhaler emissions in specific patient groups, such as Medicaid recipients, and to compare clinical outcomes of low- and high-emission inhalers in the same therapeutic class.
    Alexandra Koch, FOXNews.com, 8 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • They’re plugged into networks that carry influence and can accelerate advancement in business and career.
    Sarah Maokosy, Fortune, 4 Oct. 2025
  • Once a scrappy research lab in San Francisco's Mission District, the company has since become more structured, enabling it to spin up cross-functional teams more quickly and accelerate the development and deployment cycles for products like Sora.
    MacKenzie Sigalos, CNBC, 3 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • Rainy weather driving tips Switch on headlights - Even during daylight hours, using headlights can enhance visibility and signal your presence to other drivers.
    CA Weather Bot, Sacbee.com, 3 Oct. 2025
  • Wyatt’s pointed use of stark silence to enhance some of the tense moments before battles break out is an effective formal choice that, without the use of slow motion, produces the feeling of time moving differently, making the viewer hyper-aware of what may come.
    Carlos Aguilar, Variety, 2 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • These services are typically underfunded by the government, even without a shutdown, and tribal nations have to supplement the services with their own revenues, largely from gaming.
    Frank Vaisvilas, jsonline.com, 3 Oct. 2025
  • After that, both new and current WIC beneficiaries will start to see their benefits impacted, especially those in areas without state funds to supplement the loss of federal dollars, Hard said.
    Tesfaye Negussie, ABC News, 2 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • As for glam and accessories, Jackson favored delicate rings, bracelet and dangle earrings in warm tones to augment her red dress.
    Julia Teti, Footwear News, 1 Oct. 2025
  • So, think about a core legacy ERP system that can then be augmented with point of sale data or supply-chain data that allows for different types of insights to be gleaned and operations to be managed in a more effective way.
    Fortune Editors, Fortune, 1 Oct. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Amplify.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/amplify. Accessed 10 Oct. 2025.

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