Heighten
What it means
To make a quality, feeling, effect, or level more intense.
Reach for it when describing a deliberate increase without assuming the change is beneficial
The skylight will heighten the sense of space in the narrow hall.
Words to choose between 6
| everyday | |
|---|---|
| warm | |
| professional | |
| literary |
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everyday
increase
Fits when a neutral rise in amount or degree is all that is meant
Careful Increase lacks the sense of sharpened perception or intensity often carried by heighten.
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warm
deepen
Fits when richness, seriousness, or emotional force grows
Careful Deepen implies inward complexity rather than a higher level.
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professional
Fits when a signal, voice, or effect gains reach and power
Careful Amplification can mean making something louder rather than emotionally stronger.
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professional
Fits when the change improves an existing quality
Careful Enhance always suggests improvement, while heighten can also magnify risk or anxiety.
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professional
intensify
Fits when strength or concentration becomes markedly greater
Careful Intensify can sound threatening when the desired effect is gentle.
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literary
sharpen
Fits when contrast or awareness becomes more distinct
Careful Sharpen emphasizes clarity and edges, not every kind of intensity.
Opposites 3
- reduce
- diminish
- soften
Common phrases 3
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heighten awareness
Clear labels heighten awareness of the wetland's seasonal changes.
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heighten the effect
A moment of silence can heighten the effect of the final line.
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heighten interest
The newly found letters heighten interest in the early expedition.
Definitions and examples are written for this site. How words are chosen Recording: Vealhurl, Southern England accent, from Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0 Updated