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

The warning comes amid heightened scrutiny of election security in the state, where misleading information and threats have disrupted past elections. — Kathryn Watson, CBS News, 3 Nov. 2026

The shelter-in-place order came amid heightened security concerns following two arrests in Matamoros that prompted roadblocks across Tamaulipas, according to Mexican authorities. — Andrea Margolis, FOXNews.com, 3 Nov. 2026

The fun of watching Curran perform on The Gilded Age comes from her grandiosity, a heightened level of delivery seen more often onstage than onscreen. — Jackson McHenry, Vulture, 2 Nov. 2026

Millions of Americans are looking to Tuesday's midterm elections with heightened anticipation or anxiety. — Ron Elving, NPR, 1 Nov. 2026

That could weigh on a market that has already seen heightened supply. — Michelle Fox, CNBC, 1 Nov. 2026

Compared with other timeframes, researchers noted distinct changes in early November that aligned with heightened anxiety. — Elizabeth Cooney, STAT, 30 Oct. 2026

The heightened athleticism of the NBA often is highlighted through physicality or finishing at the rim. — Julia Poe, Chicago Tribune, 30 Oct. 2026

Wyle said portraying a Jewish character offered an opportunity to present a humanist and healer at a time of heightened antisemitism. — Andrew Silow-Carroll, Sun Sentinel, 27 Oct. 2026

Verb

Essentially a two-tone style with a Bright Cactus green leather base and glossy black patent leather, the pair’s undeniable Joker look is heightened by its choice of Dark Iris purple shoelaces. — Riley Jones, Footwear News, 3 Nov. 2026

His remarks in the lead-up to the midterms have heightened concerns across the Persian Gulf that strikes against Iran will soon resume. — Francesca Ebel, Washington Post, 2 Nov. 2026

Their steep verticality is somehow threatening, in hubristic competition with the crucifix behind them, a tension further heightened by a red laser target moving across the wall (part of a work by Šejla Kamerić). — Kristian Vistrup Madsen, Artforum, 1 Nov. 2026

His lack of road diplomacy—his road rage—is heightened to psychopathic degrees and puts everyone in his path at risk. — Literary Hub, 30 Oct. 2026

Tensions were heightened earlier this month when Houthis struck King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh, leaving more than a dozen dead. — Ryan Gaydos Outkick, FOXNews.com, 28 Oct. 2026

Against a largely black palette, flashes of alarm red and bubblegum pink heightened the collection’s apocalyptic ethos. — Livia Caligor, Vogue, 27 Oct. 2026

And that’s where the frights, heightened by the intimacy of the van, come in. — Todd Martens, Los Angeles Times, 27 Oct. 2026

In 1860, Muybridge was thrown from a carriage, resulting in a head injury that radically changed his personality and possibly heightened his artistic inclinations. — Kathryn Schulz, New Yorker, 26 Oct. 2026