magnify
verb
mag·ni·fy
ˈmag-nə-ˌfī 
magnified; magnifying
1
2
a
: to increase in significance : intensify
real drama … will use ugliness to magnify beauty—
Alan Mickle
Alan Mickle
b
: exaggerate
magnifies every minor issue to crisis proportions
3
: to enlarge in fact or in appearance
The lens magnified the image 100 times.
: to have the power of causing objects to appear larger than they are
a glass that magnifies greatly
Examples of magnify in a Sentence
The sound was magnified by the calm air.
His failures have been magnified by the success of his friends.
I don't want to magnify the importance of these problems.
The lens magnified the image 100 times.
a magnified view of the image
Recent Examples on the Web
As with several recent exhibits drawn from Wadsworth collections, the individual items have their own innate power, but that wondrous artistic aura is magnified a thousandfold by the smart curatorial and presentational style that brings these wildly varied works together.
—Christopher Arnott, Hartford Courant, 2 Mar. 2025
And when the water is a glorious shade of blue-green, that deep tranquilizing effect is magnified.
—Tara Massouleh McCay, Southern Living, 1 Mar. 2025
That certainly feels like the case after last month’s deadly crash near Reagan National Airport, as every accident or close call seems to get magnified, raising questions about America’s airline safety.
—Harry Enten, CNN, 28 Feb. 2025
The Los Angeles wildfires have magnified simmering questions about the sustainability of America’s insurance industry in an age of increasingly expensive natural disasters like flood and fire.
—Ali Martin, The Christian Science Monitor, 18 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for magnify
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Christopher Arnott, Hartford Courant, 2 Mar. 2025
And when the water is a glorious shade of blue-green, that deep tranquilizing effect is magnified.
—Tara Massouleh McCay, Southern Living, 1 Mar. 2025
That certainly feels like the case after last month’s deadly crash near Reagan National Airport, as every accident or close call seems to get magnified, raising questions about America’s airline safety.
—Harry Enten, CNN, 28 Feb. 2025
The Los Angeles wildfires have magnified simmering questions about the sustainability of America’s insurance industry in an age of increasingly expensive natural disasters like flood and fire.
—Ali Martin, The Christian Science Monitor, 18 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for magnify
Cite this Entry
“Magnify.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/magnify. Accessed 12 Mar. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
magnify
verb
mag·ni·fy
ˈmag-nə-ˌfī
magnified; magnifying
2
a
: to increase in importance
b
3
: to enlarge in fact or in appearance
a microscope magnifies an object seen through it
magnifier
noun
-ˌfī(-ə)r
Medical Definition
magnify
verb
mag·ni·fy
ˈmag-nə-ˌfī
magnified; magnifying
: to enlarge in appearance
: to have the power of causing objects to appear larger than they are
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