heighten — To make or become more intense, stronger, or more noticeable; to increase in degree or amount.
Part of speech: VERB
Definition: To make or become more intense, stronger, or more noticeable; to increase in degree or amount.
Pronunciation (IPA): /ˈhaɪtən/
Example Sentences
- The coffee shop owner decided to heighten the romance by dimming the lights and playing jazz music.
- The government plans to heighten border security after recent incidents.
- My mom's cooking skills heighten dramatically when guests are coming over.
heighten
VERB[/ˈhaɪtən/]
To make or become more intense, stronger, or more noticeable; to increase in degree or amount.
To make or become more intense, stronger, or more noticeable; to increase in degree or amount.
Heighten the lights to brighten her face, but the shadows might frighten!
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🎤Pronunciation
🌳Etymology
Origin
From Old English 'height' meaning 'high place' or 'tallness' combined with the verb-forming suffix '-en'. The word literally means 'to make higher' and developed from the same Germanic roots that gave us 'high'.
Breakdown
height (from Old English 'hiehthu' meaning tallness) + -en (verb-forming suffix meaning 'to make' or 'to cause to become')
🎵Rhyme
📝Examples
“The coffee shop owner decided to heighten the romance by dimming the lights and playing jazz music.”
“The government plans to heighten border security after recent incidents.”
“My mom's cooking skills heighten dramatically when guests are coming over.”
“The thunderstorm heightened our anxiety about the outdoor wedding.”
📚Related Words
Synonyms
Antonyms
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