heightened 1 of 2

heightened

2 of 2

verb

past tense of heighten

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 heightened
Adjective
The coaching staff enforces a heightened standard of execution. Andy McCullough, New York Times, 7 Oct. 2025 Their ability to access customer data and navigate throughout the company’s knowledge bases gives them a heightened capacity for real-time troubleshooting. Connie Etemadi, USA Today, 6 Oct. 2025 The assault also occurred during a time of heightened tension around the world. Alisha Ebrahimji, CNN Money, 6 Oct. 2025 Mun-ju doesn’t plan to fall for San-ho so quickly after her husband’s death, but the heightened emotion of life-or-death situations spur a sizzling chemistry and deep connection that cannot be ignored. Kayti Burt, Time, 3 Oct. 2025 Many restaurant chains have turned to limited time offerings and promotions as a way to lure in diners amid surging food prices and heightened competition. Alia Shoaib, MSNBC Newsweek, 30 Sep. 2025 Big Deal The Bank of America Institute's 2025 Workplace Benefits report finds that despite a general sense of optimism when looking ahead, employees are experiencing heightened stress. Sheryl Estrada, Fortune, 30 Sep. 2025
Verb
Political fevers heightened with the near‑constant barrage of national cable news, usually spun by left‑ or right‑leaning media and amplified by taunting tweets. Literary Hub, 7 Oct. 2025 As investment falls elsewhere in the world and local budgets are increasingly stretched, the need to pivot to attract younger viewers and better cater to other audiences has heightened to new levels, according to panel of commissioners today at the MIA Market in Italy. Jesse Whittock, Deadline, 7 Oct. 2025 The animation combines stylized character design with photorealistic backgrounds, creating a world that feels both heightened and lived in. Clayton Davis, Variety, 6 Oct. 2025 This continuous conversation, heightened by agile promo tactics and surprise announcements, is central to Swift’s stranglehold on cultural capital. Nick Lichtenberg, Fortune, 3 Oct. 2025 This dimension of the work was heightened by its site, a former helicopter landing field on an old NATO base, given over to the Autostrada Biennale in 2014 as part of a process of demilitarization in the aftermath of the Yugoslav Wars of the 1990s and Kosovo’s declaration of independence in 2008. Joanna Warsza, Artforum, 1 Oct. 2025 If your emotions feel especially heightened, trust them. Meghan Rose, Glamour, 1 Oct. 2025 Common symptoms include significant weight loss, feelings of fatigue and heightened vulnerability to infections, as well as frequent urination and excessive thirst. Melissa Rudy, FOXNews.com, 30 Sep. 2025 Link said the hands-on attention from Moore heightened the offensive line’s attention to detail. Austin Meek, New York Times, 30 Sep. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for heightened
Adjective
  • The film opens with a celebratory raid on an ICE facility to free detainees, and shows government agents coldly executing unarmed suspects and sending an undercover agent into a peaceful protest to throw a Molotov cocktail to justify increased force.
    James Hibberd, HollywoodReporter, 7 Oct. 2025
  • Febrile seizures, while frightening, haven’t been associated with any long-term health effects, the CDC says, and there’s no increased risk for the combination MMRV vaccine in children ages 4 to 6.
    Meg Tirrell, CNN Money, 6 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • According to the Money Doctor, the administration’s interest in a plan that would substitute the dollar for the flailing Argentine peso has greatly intensified in recent weeks as Milei’s political fortunes have weakened.
    Shawn Tully, Fortune, 8 Oct. 2025
  • Pressure on journalists and opposition figures has intensified since Ekrem İmamoğlu, Istanbul’s mayor and a political rival of the President, was arrested in March.
    Afşin Yurdakul, Time, 7 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • Teoscar Hernández chooses the right time to hustle No one has felt the highs and lows of this series quite like Hernández, whose defensive gaffe in the second inning of Game 1 exacerbated the Dodgers’ early deficit and whose bat lifted them to a 5-3 victory that night.
    Fabian Ardaya, New York Times, 7 Oct. 2025
  • However, Defend Our Juries, the organization behind Saturday’s protest, is demanding the ban be lifted.
    Rachel Wolf, FOXNews.com, 4 Oct. 2025
Adjective
  • Educator turnover in Wisconsin public schools has decreased from pandemic highs but remains elevated.
    Kayla Huynh, jsonline.com, 6 Oct. 2025
  • While driving - Stick to the middle lanes and stay on elevated ground.
    NC Weather Bot, Charlotte Observer, 5 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • Public frustration over austerity measures and a government seen as detached from everyday realities has only deepened.
    Saskya Vandoorne, CNN Money, 6 Oct. 2025
  • As the United States' homelessness crisis has deepened, Trump isn't alone in believing this kind of intervention should be used more often.
    Brian Mann, NPR, 5 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • Koivu, the only player in franchise history to have his number raised to the Grand Casino Arena rafters, is the Wild's all-time leader in games played (1,028), assists (504), points (709), power-play points (251), shots (2,270), faceoff wins (10,354) and shootout goals (42).
    Michael Russo, New York Times, 7 Oct. 2025
  • Take it from Chris Trentine, who was born and raised in the area and now owns the Crooked Palm Cabana cocktail bar.
    Teaghan Skulszki, Travel + Leisure, 7 Oct. 2025
Adjective
  • If trapped by moving water, seek the highest possible point and contact emergency services by calling 911.
    NC Weather Bot, Charlotte Observer, 8 Oct. 2025
  • Computer Mice Deals The Logitech G502 Lightspeed earned high marks from our expert thanks to great battery life and low-latency wireless connectivity.
    Jade Chung-Lee, PC Magazine, 8 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • But, if anything, the proximity has only enhanced the berry appetites of their boys, who tend to eat their favorite snack straight off the vine.
    Mark Dent, HubSpot, 3 Oct. 2025
  • Besides a brand-new design, the cards also have enhanced anti-counterfeit protections.
    Hannah Poukish, Sacbee.com, 2 Oct. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Heightened.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/heightened. Accessed 9 Oct. 2025.

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