HEIGHTEN

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

IPA (US):

 Dictionary entry overview: What does heighten mean? 

• HEIGHTEN (verb)
  The verb HEIGHTEN has 6 senses:

1. become more extreme

2. make more extreme; raise in quantity, degree, or intensity

3. increase

4. increase the height of

5. make (one's senses) more acute

6. make more intense, stronger, or more marked

  Familiarity information: HEIGHTEN used as a verb is common.

 Dictionary entry details 

• HEIGHTEN (verb)

Present simple: I / you / we / they heighten    ... he / she / it heightens   
Past simple: heightened   
Past participle: heightened   
-ing form: heightening   

Sense 1

Meaning:

Become more extreme

Classified under:

Verbs of size, temperature change, intensifying, etc.

Synonyms:

heighten; rise

Context example:

The tension heightened

Hypernyms (to "heighten" is one way to...):

increase (make bigger or more)

Sentence frame:

Something ----s

Sense 2

Meaning:

Make more extreme; raise in quantity, degree, or intensity

Classified under:

Verbs of size, temperature change, intensifying, etc.

Context example:

heightened interest

Hypernyms (to "heighten" is one way to...):

increase (make bigger or more)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s something
Something ----s something

Sense 3

Meaning:

Increase

Classified under:

Verbs of size, temperature change, intensifying, etc.

Synonyms:

enhance; heighten; raise

Context example:

heighten the tension

Hypernyms (to "heighten" is one way to...):

compound; deepen; heighten; intensify (make more intense, stronger, or more marked)

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "heighten"):

potentiate (increase the effect of or act synergistically with (a drug or a physiological or biochemical phenomenon))

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s something
Something ----s something

Sense 4

Meaning:

Increase the height of

Classified under:

Verbs of walking, flying, swimming

Context example:

The athletes kept jumping over the steadily heightened bars

Hypernyms (to "heighten" is one way to...):

bring up; elevate; get up; lift; raise (raise from a lower to a higher position)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s something
Something ----s something

Sense 5

Meaning:

Make (one's senses) more acute

Classified under:

Verbs of size, temperature change, intensifying, etc.

Synonyms:

heighten; sharpen

Context example:

This drug will sharpen your vision

Hypernyms (to "heighten" is one way to...):

compound; deepen; heighten; intensify (make more intense, stronger, or more marked)

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "heighten"):

subtilise; subtilize (make (senses) more keen)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s something
Something ----s something

Sense 6

Meaning:

Make more intense, stronger, or more marked

Classified under:

Verbs of size, temperature change, intensifying, etc.

Synonyms:

compound; deepen; heighten; intensify

Context example:

This event only deepened my convictions

Hypernyms (to "heighten" is one way to...):

increase (become bigger or greater in amount)

Cause:

deepen; intensify (become more intense)

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "heighten"):

heat up; hot up; screw up (make more intense)

fan (make (an emotion) fiercer)

enhance; heighten; raise (increase)

amplify (increase the volume of)

sharpen (make crisp or more crisp and precise)

heighten; sharpen (make (one's senses) more acute)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s something
Something ----s something

 Context examples 

The sight of your dear sister, however, was really dreadful; and, to heighten the matter, I found her alone.

(Sense and Sensibility, by Jane Austen)

“The type of analysis the researchers used allowed them to conclude with greater than 90 percent probability that all NSAIDs studied are associated with a heightened risk of heart attack.”

(Common Painkillers Linked to Increased Risk for Heart Attack, VOA)

The increased risk was due, in part, to heightened inflammation in response to a viral infection.

(How Parents' Separation Impacts Adult Kids, The Titi Tudorancea Bulletin)

Their actual speed, heightened by some dread of the conclusion, made the road appear but half as long as on the day before.

(Persuasion, by Jane Austen)

High levels of salt consumption can increase blood pressure, thereby heightening the risk of heart disease.

(Poor Diet Kills More People Than Smoking, The Titi Tudorancea Bulletin)

Elizabeth listened with delight to the happy, though modest hopes which Jane entertained of Mr. Bingley's regard, and said all in her power to heighten her confidence in it.

(Pride and Prejudice, by Jane Austen)

Emma's colour was heightened by this unjust praise; and with a smile, and shake of the head, which spoke much, she looked at Mr. Knightley.

(Emma, by Jane Austen)

Psoriasis is associated with heightened systemic inflammation, which elevates risk of blood vessel disease and diabetes.

(Psoriasis therapy linked to reduced coronary inflammation in patients with the skin condition, National Institutes of Health)

Condition of heightened watchfulness or preparation for action.

(Alert, NCI Thesaurus)

Right across the foot of the hill there had sprung up a long wall of struggling horses and stricken men, which ever grew and heightened as fresh squadrons poured on the attack.

(The White Company, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)