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enhance

[ en-hans, -hahns ]
/ ɛnˈhéns, -ˈhɑns /
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See synonyms for: enhance / enhanced / enhances / enhancing on Thesaurus.com
verb (used with object), en·hanced, en·hanc·ing.
to raise to a higher degree; intensify; magnify: The candlelight enhanced her beauty.
to raise the value or price of: Rarity enhances the worth of old coins.
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Origin of enhance

First recorded in 1325–75; Middle English enhauncen, from Anglo-French enhauncer, apparently for Old French enhaucer, equivalent to en- en-1 + haucer “to raise” (French hausser ) from the unattested Vulgar Latin altiāre (derivative of Latin altus “high,” with h-, from Germanic; see haughty), though -n- is unexplained

synonym study for enhance

2. See elevate.

OTHER WORDS FROM enhance

en·hance·ment, nounen·hanc·ive, adjectiveun·en·hanced, adjective

Words nearby enhance

engrossed bill, engrossing, engrossment, engulf, enhalo, enhance, enhanced oil recovery, enhanced radiation weapon, enhancement, enhancer, enharmonic
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

MORE ABOUT ENHANCE

What does enhance mean?

To enhance is to raise to a higher degree, such as to magnify or intensify something. To enhance a photo, for example, is to improve the colors, lighting, or other characteristics in order to improve the photo.

Generally speaking, enhancing somehow makes something better. Something that is enhanced has its intensity, value, or size increased.

To enhance is also to increase the value or price of something. A tie might not be very valued just for being a tie, for example. But if that tie was worn by someone famous, the tie’s value is enhanced because that celebrity wore it.

Example: Salt is commonly added to dishes to enhance their flavor.

Where does enhance come from?

The first records of the term enhance come from the 1300s. It comes from the Anglo-French enhauncer.

Especially in technology and medicine, enhance is used to mean “to upgrade performance.” Better-quality technology pieces, such as computer speakers and monitors are said to enhance your experience using the computer. In medicine, enhancing treatments such as drugs are meant to improve the speed, strength, or overall performance of a person in certain contexts.

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What are some other forms related to enhance?

What are some synonyms for enhance?

What are some words that share a root or word element with enhance? 

What are some words that often get used in discussing enhance?

How is enhance used in real life?

Enhance is commonly used to discuss intensity, value, or size increases.

 

Try using enhance!

Which of the following is NOT a synonym for enhance?

A. augment
B. decrease
C. raise
D. upgrade

Words related to enhance

add to, appreciate, augment, boost, build up, complement, enlarge, heighten, increase, intensify, raise, reinforce, strengthen, upgrade, adorn, aggrandize, amplify, beautify, boom, elevate

How to use enhance in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for enhance

enhance
/ (ÉȘnˈhɑːns) /
verb
(tr) to intensify or increase in quality, value, power, etc; improve; augment

Derived forms of enhance

enhancement, nounenhancer, nounenhancive, adjective

Word Origin for enhance

C14: from Old French enhaucier, from en- 1 + haucier to raise, from Vulgar Latin altiāre (unattested), from Latin altus high
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
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