amplify
Americanverb (used with object)
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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)
verb
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(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
- amplifiable adjective
- overamplify verb
- unamplifiable adjective
- unamplified adjective
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
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.
He is not easily categorized as a political actor, and that ambiguity is precisely what makes him so difficult to pin down — and so easy to amplify.
From Salon • Apr. 6, 2026
Algorithms amplify content based on engagement -- and engagement is often driven by sensationalism, outrage and misinformation.
From Barron's • Apr. 2, 2026
They also give traders access to extreme leverage that can amplify their profits—or wipe out their entire investment.
From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 18, 2026
His sparring with the president appears to be part of an aggressive strategy to amplify his own messaging as he weighs a potential run for president in 2028.
From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 17, 2026
“It won’t amplify on the matter, Alfred,” she said, emphatically.
From "I, Robot" by Isaac Asimov
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.
