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)
-
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
-
are amplifyingprogressive
-
is amplifyingprogressive
-
have been amplifyingperfect progressive
-
has been amplifyingperfect progressive
Past
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amplifiedsimple
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had amplifiedperfect
-
was amplifyingprogressive
-
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
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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:
That could be sharpening the temperature contrast across Eurasia, which in turn would amplify Rossby waves and making the polar vortex more likely to be disrupted.
From Barron's ● Nov. 6, 2026
Meanwhile, several leveraged ETFs have been filed with the SEC that aim to amplify the daily performance of Anthropic’s shares after the IPO.
From MarketWatch ● Oct. 28, 2026
Other factors amplify stroads’ risks, said Robert Schneider, co-chair of the department of urban planning at the University of Wisconsin–Milwaukee.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 18, 2026
Because the scattered signal is extremely weak, a second laser beam is used to amplify it through interference, allowing the microscope to detect structures that would otherwise be difficult to observe.
From Science Daily ● Oct. 17, 2026
I wanted to appear reformed, thoughtful, and eager to enter a crimeless future, and I thought my gestures would amplify my argument for release.
From "Hole in My Life" by Jack Gantos
"You can think of it as the first step in a chain reaction: Physical stress unlocks the raw material, oxidative stress drives the conversion, and DHRS7 amplifies the signal."
From Science Daily ● Nov. 5, 2026
El Niño in the Pacific Basin decreases wind shear, so it removes the inhibitive storm-decapitating effect of wind shear at the same time that it amplifies water temperature,” Swain said.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 12, 2026
Mr. Sun’s production technique here amplifies that sense of irregularity in an appealing way.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 7, 2026
His intentional balance of silence and audio amplifies one of the movie’s most famous moments, Adenoid Hynkel’s gibberish speech, into a bombastic, hilarious aural onslaught.
From Salon ● Aug. 22, 2026
The words echo around the square and beyond as the mike amplifies my voice.
From "Mockingjay" by Suzanne Collins
Mechanical selling amplified the losses, said Ben Emons, founder and chief investment officer at FedWatch Advisors.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Nov. 5, 2026
The process recalls versioning in dub, where an existing recording is stripped down and reconstructed, its individual elements isolated, amplified or faded out entirely.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 21, 2026
Seasonal wildfires are not new to Indonesia but this year, a so-called Super El Nino has amplified drought conditions and delayed the kind of rainfall that is critical to extinguishing peat fires.
From BBC ● Oct. 20, 2026
Trump has described Zacharia as an “attorney,” as did chyrons for TV appearances that Zacharia amplified on social media, CNN reports.
From Slate ● Oct. 15, 2026
Across the pastures, the incredible vulgarity of highly amplified hillbilly music drifted from the cafe on the highway.
From "Black Like Me" by John Howard Griffin
To be sure, leveraged ETFs are risky — amplifying gains but also potential losses on wrong-way bets.
From MarketWatch ● Oct. 28, 2026
Additionally, motivation, even beyond the content creation monetization that Adams pointed out, can sometimes be connected exclusively to the idea of supporting and amplifying Black art and artists while deprioritizing inquiries of their merit.
From Salon ● Oct. 19, 2026
Meanwhile, rising energy costs are amplifying market jitters.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 15, 2026
When you are among kin, he tells me, “It is more so about amplifying the beauty that’s there. And the simplicity too.”
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 11, 2026
Something had happened then, some development in evolution, to make the human brain an ideal channel for amplifying their effects.
From "The Amber Spyglass" by Philip Pullman
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Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
