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Synonyms

heighten

American

[hahyt-n] / ˈhaɪt n /

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.

heighten British

/ ˈhaɪtən /

verb

to make or become high or higher
to make or become more extreme or intense

"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

Synonym Usage

See elevate.

Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

Conjugated Forms

Present

Past

Future

Etymology

Origin of heighten

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

Explanation

When you heighten something, you increase it or make it more intense. If you want to heighten awareness about homelessness, you might write an article for your local newspaper. Extreme weather can act to heighten people's concern about climate change, and publicity for a good cause can heighten awareness of the ways college students can volunteer their time. A movie director might heighten the tension in a scene by using scary music and dramatic lighting. In all of these cases, something is intensified or increased. The oldest, fifteenth-century meaning of heighten, however, was "to exalt, honor, or raise to a high position."

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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.

"Even without a new product launch today, Huawei's intent is clear — and its trajectory will likely heighten US concerns."

From Barron's • May 25, 2026

Now, however, the counterterrorism director’s role is coming back to light as hostilities roil the Middle East and heighten the risk of attacks in the United States or against American interests or allies overseas.

From Salon • Apr. 22, 2026

For the world's leading golfers, there are few weeks in the season which heighten the senses more than the Masters - especially if you're in the mix for the Green Jacket.

From BBC • Apr. 8, 2026

Stocks closed near session lows after Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell said rising oil prices could heighten inflation expectations and hurt U.S. growth.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 19, 2026

But written words heighten the feeling of privacy.

From "Hunger of Memory" by Richard Rodriguez

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023