HEIGHTEN Synonyms: 89 Similar and Opposite Words

heighten

verb

ˈhī-tᵊn

Definition of heighten

as in to intensify

to make markedly greater in measure or degree several controversial measures have heightened parental awareness of the impact of school policy decisions

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in to lift

to move from a lower to a higher place or position heightened the hem on her skirt just a couple of inches

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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 heighten Parent Erika Flores pointed to the school’s program for students with autism, noting that many of these children, including her son, have sensory issues that could heighten their sensitivity to odors from cremation. — Alula Alderson, Sacbee.com, 24 Aug. 2026 The shooting heightened ongoing concerns about safety in downtown Orlando and resulted in a pending lawsuit by the victim’s families. — Cristóbal Reyes, The Orlando Sentinel, 24 Aug. 2026 That heightens the importance of what Fed Chairman Kevin Warsh might say next week at the central bank's annual symposium at Jackson Hole, Wyoming, to calm bond investors. — Sarah Min, CNBC, 21 Aug. 2026 The plan is for vertical series that have heightened genre concepts and richer world building, while sticking to the snappy, emotionally intense and hook-led style of many current microdramas. — Jesse Whittock, Deadline, 20 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for heighten

Recent Examples of Synonyms for heighten

Verb

Concerns intensified earlier this month when a 30-year Treasury auction drew weaker demand than the prior month, despite elevated yields.

— Anniek Bao, CNBC, 25 Aug. 2026
Netanyahu and Erdogan have a long-running public feud, which intensified dramatically during the wars in Gaza, Lebanon and Iran.

— Tal Shalev, CNN Money, 25 Aug. 2026

Definition of intensify

Verb

Our philosophy has always been to remain thoughtful, ensuring every addition feels intentional and enhances the overall guest experience.

— Jillian Dara, Forbes.com, 22 Aug. 2026
These sleek sneakers are made with layers of contoured cushioning to mold to your feet, a rubber sole with traction to stabilize, and two different lace options to customize your look and enhance comfort.

— Nicol Natale, PEOPLE, 21 Aug. 2026

Definition of enhance

Verb

The Property Masters Guild aims to highlight and elevate the craft of the Property Master by raising awareness, fostering collaboration among craft artisans, educating its members and inspiring future generations of Property Masters.

— Isabelle Farina, Variety, 26 Aug. 2026
As Altman absorbs the public’s fears and frustrations over AI, the company has recently sought to elevate Brockman’s profile as a counterweight.

— Alex Heath, Time, 26 Aug. 2026

Definition of elevate

Verb

One of the most powerful figures in Iran has said that the US campaign of maximum economic pressure will fail — in a further sign that Iran’s hardline leadership is unwilling to compromise despite a deepening economic crisis.

— Tim Lister, CNN Money, 23 Aug. 2026
Since then, my curiosity about this particular repertory blind spot of mine has deepened to an extent.

— Sarah Shachat, IndieWire, 21 Aug. 2026

Definition of deepen

Verb

This comes after shares of Target spiked last Wednesday after the retailer reported second-quarter top- and bottom-line gains and raised its outlook for the year.

— Kathryn Hopkins, Footwear News, 26 Aug. 2026
If passed, the USPS will raise rates by an average of 6% for retail and commercial USPS Ground Advantage, Priority Mail, Priority Mail Express, and Parcel Select shipments, according to the USPS press release.

— Charna Flam, PEOPLE, 26 Aug. 2026

Definition of raise

Verb

The Iranian trade office on Friday called the agreement with Oman part of Tehran's broader push to strengthen economic ties with regional partners through trade diplomacy and improved logistics infrastructure.

— Khaled Wassef, CBS News, 21 Aug. 2026
However, the same methodology was used throughout the study period, which strengthens the finding of an increase over time.

— Faye Chiu, CNN Money, 21 Aug. 2026

Definition of strengthen

Verb

Eight weeks after the fire, Chambers' apartment is still in disarray, but her spirit has been uplifted by Evans.

— Naveen Dhaliwal, CBS News, 24 Aug. 2026
Tennesse’s core film and TV production incentive is a 25% rebate on eligible expenses in the state, with uplifts possible, on a minimum spend of $500,000.

— Anthony D'Alessandro, Deadline, 20 Aug. 2026

Definition of uplift

Browse Nearby Words

height

heighten

heightened

See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

Style

“Heighten.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/heighten. Accessed 27 Aug. 2026.

Copy Citation

Synonyms of heighten

verb

Example Sentences

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

southpaw

Popular in Grammar & Usage

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?

What's the difference between 'fascism' and 'socialism'?

Commonly Misspelled Words

Popular in Wordplay

Ye Olde Nincompoop: Old-Fashioned Words for 'Stupid'

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

Even More Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

The Words of the Week - Aug. 28

Why do we say 'break a leg'?

Popular

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

Ye Olde Nincompoop: Old-Fashioned Words for 'Stupid'

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

Games & Quizzes