Synonyms of heightened

heightened 1 of 2

adjective

as in increased

being at a higher level than average

there were heightened levels of lead in the drinking water

Synonyms & Similar Words

• increased
• elevated
• high
• raised
• up
• escalated
• extreme
• maximum
• jacked (up)
• peaked
• utmost
• inflated
• over
• maximized
• sky-high
• full
• overloaded
• overflowing
• oversize
• overfilled
• overlarge
• overfull

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• low
• down
• decreased
• dropped
• under
• depressed
• receded
• knockdown

heightened

2 of 2

verb

past tense of heighten

1

as in intensified

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

• intensified
• deepened
• enhanced
• strengthened
• consolidated
• reinforced
• accentuated
• amplified
• boosted
• sharpened
• broadened
• stepped up
• magnified
• expanded
• redoubled
• augmented
• emphasized
• extended
• beefed (up)
• accelerated
• lengthened
• enforced
• amped (up)
• supplemented
• enlarged
• pointed (up)
• quickened
• maximized
• exacerbated
• stressed
• hastened
• enlivened
• aggravated
• restrengthened
• jazzed (up)

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• reduced
• decreased
• diminished
• abated
• lessened
• weakened
• moderated
• subdued
• subsided
• receded
• waned
• dwindled
• tapered (off)
• alleviated
• eased
• lightened
• toned (down)
• let up (on)

2

as in lifted

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

• lifted
• elevated
• raised
• uplifted
• boosted
• hoisted
• upheld
• hiked
• upped
• heaved
• took up
• picked up
• mounted
• rose
• perked (up)
• jacked (up)
• upraised
• craned
• ascended
• hefted
• reared
• upended

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• lowered
• dropped
• fell
• slipped
• pushed
• descended
• bore
• pressed
• plunged
• depressed
• dipped
• pitched
• sank
• submerged

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of heightened

Adjective

Travelers planning to visit America’s neighbor to the north may be wondering what the heightened tensions mean for their trips. — Nathan Diller, USA Today, 26 Aug. 2026

Southern California Edison is considering thousands of public safety power shutoffs across the region as the heightened heat risk continues to pose danger. — Chelsea Hylton, CBS News, 25 Aug. 2026

Late summer poses a heightened risk for lightning strikes in Florida, often referred to as the lightning strike capital of the world. — David Goodhue, Miami Herald, 24 Aug. 2026

During periods of heightened pressure, the initial response can be beneficial. — Julian Hayes Ii, Forbes.com, 23 Aug. 2026

While many viewers praise the former child star as the beating heart of the series, her newfound success comes with heightened tabloid scrutiny, thecoverage wading into everything from her looks to her love life. — Julianna Bragg, CNN Money, 22 Aug. 2026

The agreement came about amid exceptionally heightened tensions in a case that gained national attention and became highly politicized along racial lines — Anthony is Black and Metcalf was White. — Ben Brachfeld, PEOPLE, 21 Aug. 2026

The trial found similar benefits to those observed by Snyder’s team; these included heightened libido and a modest improvement to mood. — Jackie Flynn Mogensen, Scientific American, 20 Aug. 2026

Not only do the Jets face heightened scrutiny following their playoff miss, but Scott Arniel will also be under heavy scrutiny for the first time in his tenure as head coach. — Murat Ates, New York Times, 18 Aug. 2026

Verb

However, fundraising on such a massive scale has also heightened market concerns over long-term capacity oversupply. — CNBC, 28 Aug. 2026

The bones are covered in a sandy bacon jam hot with suya spice heightened with West African black pepper. — Jenn Harris, Los Angeles Times, 27 Aug. 2026

As YouTube faces heightened scrutiny in Brussels, the lecture also had some lobbying purposes. — Elsa Keslassy, Variety, 26 Aug. 2026

For survivors like Abrams, distrust of Newsom’s proposal is heightened by the publicity campaign of a group called Wildfire Victims First that has run a highly-visible ad campaign calling for reform. — Stephen Hobbs, 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

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

At this moment, the kids from the childcare program are released into the sanctuary, their excitement at seeing their parents and hearing the shofar only heightened by whatever has made all of their mouths blue. — Risa Polansky Shiman, Sun Sentinel, 19 Aug. 2026

The two crashes, among others that followed in the months after, heightened attention to aviation safety. — Alexandra Skores, CNN Money, 18 Aug. 2026