heighten
Americanverb (used with object)
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to increase the degree or amount of; augment.
Cézanne's death heightened the value of his paintings.
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to strengthen, deepen, or intensify.
to heighten the plot of a story; to heighten one's awareness or appreciation; to heighten one's suffering.
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to bring out the important features of, as in a drawing.
to heighten a picture with Chinese white.
verb (used without object)
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to become higher.
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to increase.
The tension heightened as the enemy forces advanced.
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to brighten or become more intense.
verb
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to make or become high or higher
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to make or become more extreme or intense
Related Words
See elevate.
Other Word Forms
- heightened adjective
- heightener noun
- unheightened adjective
Etymology
Origin of heighten
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Policymakers may not reference Iran directly in their March statement, but they may acknowledge heightened geopolitical uncertainty and risks tied to energy prices.
From Barron's
Airspace closures and regional travel disruptions are widespread, and military forces across the Middle East are on heightened alert.
From Salon
The economy is suffering huge strain as a result of intensified sanctions and heightened regional tensions.
From Barron's
The economy is suffering huge strain as a result of intensified sanctions and heightened regional tensions.
From Barron's
A closure of the passageway might prove difficult, but significant disruption and heightened risks would have a major impact on regional trade as well as international oil prices, the Oxford Analytica report said.
From MarketWatch
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
