1
as in intensifies
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
2
as in lifts
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
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Recent Examples of heightens
Local firm Studio Munge’s design is restrained but exacting, which heightens the impact of the details.
—
Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 23 Apr. 2026
Mikhail Metzel | Via Reuters Russia has offered to help China with any potential energy shortfall, as the war in the Middle East heightens geopolitical divisions and threatens global commodity supplies.
—Holly Ellyatt, CNBC, 15 Apr. 2026
Rather than rely on items that are more neutral, a kaleidoscopic palette heightens the personality of your space.
—Rachel Davies, Architectural Digest, 15 Apr. 2026
The effect heightens the romanticism of characters who are no longer lost to us in translation.
—Theater Critic, Los Angeles Times, 11 Apr. 2026
Cancer Neptune in Cancer heightens emotional sensitivity and nostalgia for home, family and heritage.
—Valerie Mesa, PEOPLE, 10 Apr. 2026
Warrior Mars in your sign fires up thoughts about your identity — and simultaneously heightens your initiative.
—Tarot.com, New York Daily News, 9 Apr. 2026
This uncertainty heightens individual anxiety and that in turn manifests in a diminished personal sense of well being.
—Dr. Howard A. Selinger, Hartford Courant, 31 Mar. 2026
Sometimes these shifts are small, noticeable only to the character experiencing them, as when an impending hurricane heightens the narrator’s receptivity to the minor mysteries of humble objects.
—Hannah Gold, Harpers Magazine, 24 Mar. 2026
Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 23 Apr. 2026
Mikhail Metzel | Via Reuters Russia has offered to help China with any potential energy shortfall, as the war in the Middle East heightens geopolitical divisions and threatens global commodity supplies.
—Holly Ellyatt, CNBC, 15 Apr. 2026
Rather than rely on items that are more neutral, a kaleidoscopic palette heightens the personality of your space.
—Rachel Davies, Architectural Digest, 15 Apr. 2026
The effect heightens the romanticism of characters who are no longer lost to us in translation.
—Theater Critic, Los Angeles Times, 11 Apr. 2026
Cancer Neptune in Cancer heightens emotional sensitivity and nostalgia for home, family and heritage.
—Valerie Mesa, PEOPLE, 10 Apr. 2026
Warrior Mars in your sign fires up thoughts about your identity — and simultaneously heightens your initiative.
—Tarot.com, New York Daily News, 9 Apr. 2026
This uncertainty heightens individual anxiety and that in turn manifests in a diminished personal sense of well being.
—Dr. Howard A. Selinger, Hartford Courant, 31 Mar. 2026
Sometimes these shifts are small, noticeable only to the character experiencing them, as when an impending hurricane heightens the narrator’s receptivity to the minor mysteries of humble objects.
—Hannah Gold, Harpers Magazine, 24 Mar. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for heightens
Verb
-
So a familiar roster with a familiar coaching staff slogging through a nightmarish first month only intensifies the scrutiny.—
Matt Gelb,
New York Times,
26 Apr. 2026
-
Drought intensifies after record-dry start to 2026 A dearth of rain and snow in the first three months of 2026 has helped stoke this spring’s drought.—
CNN.com Wire Service,
Mercury News,
24 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Yet unlike physical fog that eventually lifts, The Fog keeps data opaque at all times—even as computation happens.—
IEEE Spectrum,
IEEE Spectrum,
30 Apr. 2026
-
The first half of May stays relatively busy, but the pressure gradually lifts.—
Steph Koyfman,
Condé Nast Traveler,
29 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
This investment expands the production of the Bushmaster, supports jobs, boosts sovereign capacity and enhances Australian manufacturing capabilities, standing ready to efficiently meet international demand.—
Prabhat Ranjan Mishra,
Interesting Engineering,
27 Apr. 2026
-
Pro hairstylist Ryan Richman previously described this Briogeo cream as a lightweight, silicone-free heat-protectant cream that minimizes frizz, smooths hair, enhances shine, and protects against heat up to 450 degrees Fahrenheit.—
Deanna Pai,
Vogue,
27 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
But what elevates the play into something truly great is that Lindsay-Abaire refuses to make Elliott a conventional villain.—
Brent Lang,
Variety,
22 Apr. 2026
-
Lighting is another detail that elevates a small garden after dark.—
Lauren Jarvis-Gibson,
Sacbee.com,
22 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Corporate interests hurt land-lease residents As Central Florida’s housing crisis deepens, a quieter emergency is unfolding in land-lease communities all across the Orlando area.—
Letters to the Editor,
The Orlando Sentinel,
29 Apr. 2026
-
After the three are released, their relationship deepens amid the challenges of rejoining society on the outside.—
Zac Ntim,
Deadline,
29 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
The comments around cyber risks come as emergence of Anthropic's Mythos is setting up a scramble from the banking industry to gain access and test the technology, as regulators rush to examine the cybersecurity risks the new AI model raises.—
USA Today,
USA Today,
28 Apr. 2026
-
Critics say that practice raises prices for buyers and hurts the state’s homeownership rate.—
Stephen Hobbs,
Sacbee.com,
28 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Early delivery of warship strengthens fleet readiness The project is the second carrier availability to be completed on schedule or ahead of schedule from the Virginia shipyard.—
Sujita Sinha,
Interesting Engineering,
30 Apr. 2026
-
Now, research strengthens an alternative theory that attributes the cooling to a violent cluster of volcanic eruptions.—
Doyle Rice,
USA Today,
30 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
If a project shoots in Manitoba, for instance, the federal and provincial credits and uplifts can add up to more than 60%.—
Samantha Masunaga,
Los Angeles Times,
13 Apr. 2026
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Curiosity and discipline pair up as the exuberant Sun uplifts accountable Saturn in your 9th House of Observation, asking for purposeful exploration today.—
Tarot.com,
Hartford Courant,
25 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Heightens.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/heightens. Accessed 1 May. 2026.
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