heighten
verb (used with object)
had heightened
-
past perfectof heighten.past perfect
Used to express a completed action that took place before another specific past action occurred.
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.
The ease of moving capital had heightened pressure on governments to think more competitively in choosing their policies, most notably tax rates.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 19, 2026
Sentencing Williams, Recorder Angharad Price said she recognised he had "heightened fear and vigilance" following the earlier confrontation with poachers.
From BBC ● Apr. 14, 2026
Maybe one had heightened adrenaline from a close call with another car on the drive over; maybe another was in a new relationship and awash in oxytocin, the so-called love hormone.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 17, 2023
By then, the coronavirus pandemic had heightened awareness of the attractive, small-town life that Bend offered, and remote workers with lucrative salaries were scooping up homes.
From New York Times ● Apr. 28, 2023
January and Onslow Square had not frozen his currents; February and the Opera House had heightened his passion.
From Love and Lucy by Maurice Henry Hewlett
