heighten

American  

[hahyt-n] / ˈhaɪt n /

verb (used with object)

1. to increase the height of; make higher.

2. to increase the degree or amount of; augment.

   Cézanne's death heightened the value of his paintings.

3. to strengthen, deepen, or intensify.

   to heighten the plot of a story; to heighten one's awareness or appreciation; to heighten one's suffering.

4. to bring out the important features of, as in a drawing.

   to heighten a picture with Chinese white.

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verb (used without object)

1. to become higher.

2. to increase.

   The tension heightened as the enemy forces advanced.

3. to brighten or become more intense.

heighten British  

/ ˈhaɪtən /

verb

1. to make or become high or higher

2. to make or become more extreme or intense

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Related Words

See elevate.

Other Word Forms

• heightened adjective
• heightener noun
• unheightened adjective

Etymology

Origin of heighten

First recorded in 1515–25; height + -en ¹

Example Sentences

He also reminded Chinese students in the US to "heighten their safety awareness" and "handle US law enforcement actions appropriately".

From BBC • Apr. 8, 2026

The light on Mag is framed like a melodramatic diva’s spotlight, and the close-ups of Delano’s electric purple lip gloss and severe makeup heighten the sequence’s sense of surrealism.

From Salon • Apr. 5, 2026

Inflationary pressures in Japan could heighten as flight-to-safety demand for the dollar pushes the yen toward 160, the threshold that puts traders on guard for potential government intervention.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 19, 2026

Any signs of cooling inflation would also heighten prospects of a cut.

From Barron's • Mar. 13, 2026

But written words heighten the feeling of privacy.

From "Hunger of Memory" by Richard Rodriguez

Related Words

• add to
• boost
• enhance
• improve
• increase
• magnify
• raise
• strengthen