enlarge

Definition of enlargenext
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Synonym Chooser

How does the verb enlarge contrast with its synonyms?

Some common synonyms of enlarge are augment, increase, and multiply. While all these words mean "to make or become greater," enlarge implies expansion or extension that makes greater in size or capacity.

enlarged the kitchen

In what contexts can augment take the place of enlarge?

Although the words augment and enlarge have much in common, augment implies addition to what is already well grown or well developed.

the inheritance augmented his fortune

When might increase be a better fit than enlarge?

The words increase and enlarge are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, increase used intransitively implies progressive growth in size, amount, or intensity; used transitively it may imply simple not necessarily progressive addition.

his waistline increased with age
increased her landholdings

Where would multiply be a reasonable alternative to enlarge?

While in some cases nearly identical to enlarge, multiply implies increase in number by natural generation or by indefinite repetition of a process.

with each attempt the problems multiplied

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 enlarge Dementia shrinks the brain and enlarges the space in the middle cavity as the disease kills off neurons. Will Croxton, CBS News, 22 Mar. 2026 In 2016, Congress sought to help enlarge the therapeutic toolkit with the passage of the 21st Century Cures Act. Josh Makower, STAT, 16 Mar. 2026 How pathetically far this blithering, unprincipled piece of trash has gone to endanger other lives, to expressly distract and deflect from his own wicked deeds, and to further benefit his grifting family’s larcenously enlarged bounties. Voice Of The People, New York Daily News, 8 Mar. 2026 One tiny root invades and expands over time, enlarging holes and allowing more roots to grow inside. Brandee Gruener, Southern Living, 28 Feb. 2026 See All Example Sentences for enlarge
Recent Examples of Synonyms for enlarge
Verb
  • The MorphoScan’s measurements ebbed and flowed from day to day as expected, with my weight dropping the day after a cardio workout and increasing after a weekend of indulgence.
    Andrew Gebhart, PC Magazine, 5 Apr. 2026
  • UConn recovered from its prolonged shooting slump to regain its bearings, eventually increasing its lead to 10 points on a Mullins’ 3 with 47 seconds left in the half before heading into the locker room up 37-29.
    Paul Sullivan, Chicago Tribune, 5 Apr. 2026
Verb
  • Its owners have expanded their impact and influence to the nearby community to limit development and maintain its cultural identity, which includes restoring and caring for the historic stone buildings from the salt trade era.
    Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 7 Apr. 2026
  • This will expand affordable rental options and enable home repairs, solar installations and energy upgrades.
    Chase Jordan April 7, Charlotte Observer, 7 Apr. 2026
Verb
  • Because what was bad for his bank account was fantastic for his creative freedom, liberating Ehrenreich, who had been trapped on the anesthetizing career trajectory that’s a prerequisite for movie stardom, to embrace his wild side.
    Brent Lang, Variety, 7 Apr. 2026
  • If everything went right, the OpenAI founders believed, artificial intelligence could usher in a post-scarcity utopia, automating grunt work, curing cancer, and liberating people to enjoy lives of leisure and abundance.
    Ronan Farrow, New Yorker, 6 Apr. 2026
Verb
  • Between rising costs, vanishing support systems and nonstop scrutiny, parenthood, as Ej Dickson describes in One Bad Mother, has started to feel less like a choice than a trap.
    Micah Barkley, Bloomberg, 10 Apr. 2026
  • Vance’s top dog status could spur rivals in both parties to portray him as the face of an unpopular war that voters blame for rising inflation and the all-important price of gas at the pump.
    Dave Goldiner, New York Daily News, 9 Apr. 2026
Verb
  • Such mutations can accelerate a tumor’s growth, making the cancer harder and harder to treat and sometimes, as in this instance, claiming the patient’s life.
    Jerome Groopman, New Yorker, 6 Apr. 2026
  • Netanyahu backed the bill despite warnings of an international backlash accelerating Israel’s diplomatic isolation in Europe and beyond.
    Tal Shalev, CNN Money, 5 Apr. 2026
Verb
  • He has been freed from jail after posting $50,000 bail and is next due in court at the end of the month.
    Nate Gartrell, Mercury News, 3 Apr. 2026
  • At a crowded news conference, boisterous supporters chanted to free Sarsour, recounting his advocacy for those in need.
    Sophia Tareen, Chicago Tribune, 3 Apr. 2026
Verb
  • When the company was in production, the building swelled with hundreds of employees, including personnel from Kelvin Optical, its in-house visual effects company.
    Borys Kit, HollywoodReporter, 7 Apr. 2026
  • Signs that a battery is about to fail include swelling, hissing, popping, an unusual odor and excessive heat, according to a New York Division of Homeland Security battery consumer guide.
    Fedor Zarkhin, Los Angeles Times, 6 Apr. 2026
Verb
  • Within weeks, Ponson augmented his tasks as a fishing boat captain with a part-time job at Celebration Church in New Orleans.
    Kelly McGreal, FOXNews.com, 5 Apr. 2026
  • This was the first Dragon launch from SLC-40 since the addition of a crew access arm to support Dragon launches from more than one Space Coast pad and augment normal launches from KSC’s Launch Pad 39-A.
    Richard Tribou, The Orlando Sentinel, 4 Apr. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Enlarge.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/enlarge. Accessed 11 Apr. 2026.

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