amplify
Americanverb (used with object)
-
amplifies,
present (3rd person singular)
-
amplified,
past participle, past
-
amplifying
present participle
-
to make larger, greater, or stronger; enlarge; extend.
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to expand in stating or describing, as by details or illustrations; clarify by expanding.
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Electricity. to increase the amplitude of; cause amplification in.
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Archaic. to exaggerate.
verb (used without object)
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amplifies,
present (3rd person singular)
-
amplified,
past participle, past
-
amplifying
present participle
verb
-
(tr) to increase in size, extent, effect, etc, as by the addition of extra material; augment; enlarge; expand
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electronics to produce amplification of (electrical signals); increase the amplitude of (signals)
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(tr) to exaggerate
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(intr) to expand or enlarge a speech, narrative, etc
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
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amplifysimple
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amplifiessimple
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have amplifiedperfect
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has amplifiedperfect
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am amplifyingprogressive
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are amplifyingprogressive
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is amplifyingprogressive
-
have been amplifyingperfect progressive
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has been amplifyingperfect progressive
Past
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amplifiedsimple
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had amplifiedperfect
-
was amplifyingprogressive
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were amplifyingprogressive
-
had been amplifyingperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of amplify
First recorded in 1375–1425; late Middle English amplifyen, from Middle French amplifier, from Latin amplificāre “to increase, augment”; equivalent to ample + -ify
Explanation
The verb amplify means to crank up the volume. Speakers amplify, or raise, the volume of the noise coming through a microphone so that everyone at the rock show can hear. Amplify comes from the Old French word amplifier meaning "to enlarge or expand." It refers to making a sound “expand,” but it can also crank up something like a disagreement — if you spread rumors, you might amplify an argument. It can “enlarge” an idea — if you don't realize how bad your health is, your doctor might amplify your test results by explaining them to you in simple, and possibly frightening terms.
Vocabulary lists containing amplify
Words to Know Before You Defrost the Bird
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The Hate U Give
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This Week In Words: April 5–11, 2020
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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.
See Examples For:
And though “Tony” doesn’t entirely lack that heady romanticization, its choice to amplify its introductory quote — making Bourdain an even more insufferable lout for dramatic effect — feels antithetical to Bourdain’s raw candor.
From Salon ● Aug. 12, 2026
After collecting the cells, the team removes the material from the brushes and uses forensic-level, next-generation sequencing technologies to isolate and amplify genetic sequences.
From Science Daily ● Aug. 11, 2026
“State tax credits have been the most instrumental tool to keep production local, and we want to amplify their success to make clear to the industry: LA County wants you here,” she added.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 5, 2026
Her work focuses on using photography to connect communities and amplify underrepresented voices.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 4, 2026
Ebola could shut down a hospital; it could amplify itself in a hospital.
From "The Hot Zone" by Richard Preston
“Workers see the headlines, hear about their friends. Crucially they hear about workers having incredibly hard times getting back into jobs, which amplifies the risk of being laid off,” he said.
From MarketWatch ● Aug. 10, 2026
“That we don’t value privacy, that we feel entitled to use others for our entertainment or our private gain, and technology amplifies that.”
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 7, 2026
Perps, which never expire and let traders pile on leverage that amplifies their potential gains and losses, have already made their mark in the U.S.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 23, 2026
"To understand whether thawing permafrost ultimately amplifies or dampens climate warming, we need to consider both the carbon released from ancient soils and the carbon consumed through rock weathering."
From Science Daily ● Jun. 20, 2026
Bobby Ryan amplifies her point: “We’re not typical theater kids, and we don’t want to be typical theater kids.”
From "Drama High" by Michael Sokolove
Lindelof’s involvement, along with that of “Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow” series author Tom King, signals a seriousness of intent amplified by the placing the series’ showrunner stewardship under “True Detective” and “Ozark” producer Chris Mundy.
From Salon ● Aug. 14, 2026
Other black holes may have formed soon after the bounce because density fluctuations were amplified.
From Science Daily ● Aug. 11, 2026
In a negative-gamma environment, large moves in either direction are easily amplified.
From MarketWatch ● Aug. 5, 2026
Regulators have imposed increasingly stringent restrictions on single-stock leveraged exchange-traded funds tracking the country’s two leading chip makers, which they say have amplified market swings since their launch in May.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 31, 2026
The dizziness amplified tenfold as she clutched her left forearm—the one with her birthcut on it—protectively against her chest.
From "Beasts of Prey" by Ayana Gray
“This is especially the case given the U.S. holiday on Friday, when liquidity conditions will be a lot thinner, amplifying the impact of any intervention.”
From MarketWatch ● Jul. 2, 2026
Greater concentration of market risks in two stocks could also prompt institutional investors to pull back, amplifying a share-price downturn.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 29, 2026
"Each of these areas of tension is likely to be manageable, but taken together, they risk amplifying one another and threatening financial stability," Maechler warned.
From Barron's ● Jun. 28, 2026
The company found them at Princeton University, where it set about amplifying their work by donating $15 million to start the Carbon Mitigation Initiative.
From Salon ● Jun. 26, 2026
Eventually, several family friends prodded a few amplifying rewards from the otherwise-loquacious patriarch.
From "Founding Brothers: The Revolutionary Generation" by Joseph J. Ellis
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.
