heighten

[hahyt-n]

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verb (used with object)

to increase the height of; make higher.

to increase the degree or amount of; augment: Cézanne's death heightened the value of his paintings.

to strengthen, deepen, or intensify: to heighten the plot of a story; to heighten one's awareness or appreciation; to heighten one's suffering.

to bring out the important features of, as in a drawing: to heighten a picture with Chinese white.

verb (used without object)

to become higher.

to increase: The tension heightened as the enemy forces advanced.

to brighten or become more intense.

Origin of heighten

First recorded in 1515–25; height + -en¹

Related formsheight·en·er, nounun·height·ened, adjective

Synonym study

1. See elevate.

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Related Words for heighten

raise, magnify, strengthen, increase, enhance, boost, improve, extend, augment, exalt, enlarge, elevate, lift, amplify

Examples from the Web for heighten

Contemporary Examples of heighten

Or really more that Instagram is no different than these paintings of yore that served to heighten status.
Adrian Grenier Talks the Economy, the ‘Entourage’ Movie, and the HBO Series’ Alleged ‘Misogyny’
Marlow Stern
October 28, 2014
“AIDS is effecting the world, so I wanted to heighten the awareness that we are all in the same boat,” Mooney said.
Victor Mooney’s Epic Adventure for His Dead Brother
Justin Jones
October 19, 2014
And the fact the line was moved from a scene in the middle of the film to one at the end only served to heighten its impact.
What Was Bogey Thinking When He Said ‘Here’s Looking At You, Kid’?
Lewis Beale
September 27, 2014
He has spoken about how he would listen to her to smooth over the rough days, or heighten his joy.
Billie Holiday, Barack Obama, and the Pain of Black Women
Joshua DuBois
June 22, 2014
Even poetry has been called into play to heighten the passions of the actors in this dangerous drama.
Putin’s Men in Ukraine: We’re Not Giving In
Anna Nemtsova
April 18, 2014

Historical Examples of heighten

If it is an imperfect word, no external circumstance can heighten its value as poetry.
The Lyric
John Drinkwater
The Gothinians, to heighten their disgrace, are forced to labour in the iron mines.
Tacitus on Germany
Tacitus
It's an axiom, I think, that to heighten a nation's wisdom you must lower its franchise.
The Stark Munro Letters
J. Stark Munro
Possibly she was so choosy in order to heighten her importance.
Greener Than You Think
Ward Moore
Some old dyers use Brazil wood to heighten the red of madder.
Vegetable Dyes
Ethel M. Mairet

British Dictionary definitions for heighten

heighten

verb

to make or become high or higher

to make or become more extreme or intense

Derived Formsheightened, adjectiveheightener, noun

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

Word Origin and History for heighten

mid-15c., heightenen "to exalt, to honor or raise to high position," from height + -en (1). Related: Heightened; heightening.