enhance
Americanverb (used with object)
verb
Usage
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.
Synonym Usage
See elevate.
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
-
enhancesimple
-
enhancessimple
-
have enhancedperfect
-
has enhancedperfect
-
am enhancingprogressive
-
are enhancingprogressive
-
is enhancingprogressive
-
have been enhancingperfect progressive
-
has been enhancingperfect progressive
Past
-
enhancedsimple
-
had enhancedperfect
-
was enhancingprogressive
-
were enhancingprogressive
-
had been enhancingperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
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
Explanation
Many people use the expression "enhance your chance" to point out ways to increase your chances of winning or earning a contest or prize. When you enhance something, you heighten it or make it better. "Hance" is not a word, but the addition of "en-" does something to enhance it and improve its sound. You can enhance the size of something, too, by altering it or raising it, which is what the word original meant (the "hance" part came via French from Latin altus, meaning "high"). When you enhance something you take it to a higher level, like adding salt to French fries to enhance flavor or adding words to enhance your vocabulary.
Vocabulary lists containing enhance
TEKS ELAR Academic Vocabulary List (5th-7th grades)
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List 10
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Tears of a Tiger
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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.
"We recognised that for us to enhance some of our automation and machine learning and artificial intelligence tools we needed to ensure that they were trained by the most experienced individuals," he said, per Bloomberg.
From BBC • Jun. 29, 2026
The private-credit sector will likely have to distinguish between software companies that deploy artificial intelligence to enhance and entrench their competitive positions, versus those whose core product is being displaced by it, says Man Group.
From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 17, 2026
In his 2026 annual letter to investors, BlackRock CEO Larry Fink said that “private markets offer the potential to enhance retirement outcomes for participants when thoughtfully and responsibly incorporated into a professionally managed target-date fund.”
From Barron's • Jun. 16, 2026
The agreement also establishes an employer-funded program to enhance directors’ AI skills.
From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 13, 2026
Once elected, Reagan’s promise to enhance the federal government’s role in fighting crime was complicated by the fact that fighting street crime has traditionally been the responsibility of state and local law enforcement.
From "The New Jim Crow" by Michelle Alexander
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
