1
as in to elevate
to assign a high status or value to
a movie that aggrandizes the bad guys and makes the cops look like dopes
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to increase
to make greater in size, amount, or number
a generous grant, enabling the library to significantly aggrandize its collection
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of aggrandize
Part of him wants to aggrandize the country to reflect his own inflated self-conception.
—
Michelle Goldberg, Mercury News, 23 Oct. 2025
Throughout the war, state-run media have aggrandized Russian wins on the battlefield, while downplaying or ignoring news to the contrary.
—Holly Ellyatt, CNBC, 15 Aug. 2025
This was a quintessential Kornet moment, surreptitiously aggrandizing while capturing the spirit of his accomplishment.
—Jared Weiss, New York Times, 15 May 2025
Yet so far two major law firms, Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom, LLP and Paul Weiss have given in to short term greed and paid off the don who lives in the White House and uses our government to extort money solely to enrich and aggrandize himself.
—Josh Hammer, MSNBC Newsweek, 1 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for aggrandize
Michelle Goldberg, Mercury News, 23 Oct. 2025
Throughout the war, state-run media have aggrandized Russian wins on the battlefield, while downplaying or ignoring news to the contrary.
—Holly Ellyatt, CNBC, 15 Aug. 2025
This was a quintessential Kornet moment, surreptitiously aggrandizing while capturing the spirit of his accomplishment.
—Jared Weiss, New York Times, 15 May 2025
Yet so far two major law firms, Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom, LLP and Paul Weiss have given in to short term greed and paid off the don who lives in the White House and uses our government to extort money solely to enrich and aggrandize himself.
—Josh Hammer, MSNBC Newsweek, 1 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for aggrandize
Recent Examples of Synonyms for aggrandize
Verb
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Locally, that mindset can normalize police militarization, limit free expression and elevate private interests over the public.—
Charlotte Observer,
Charlotte Observer,
14 Feb. 2026
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Their playoff run ended in heartbreak (a 33-30 overtime loss to Denver), and the offseason brought major change, with Sean McDermott out and Joe Brady elevated.—
Pete Sweeney,
Kansas City Star,
14 Feb. 2026
Verb
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The concern is not only the surge in killings, but the increasing brazenness with which they are carried out.—
Zeena Saifi,
CNN Money,
15 Feb. 2026
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For example, rising temperatures have direct harms on health by increasing risk of dehydration and causing more stress on the heart.—
Mary Kekatos,
ABC News,
14 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Ramstead is a firefighter and paramedic who was hired by the Pasadena Fire Department in 2005 and promoted to the rank of captain in 2016.—
Clara Harter,
Los Angeles Times,
10 Feb. 2026
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This will help maintain a manageable size for indoor growing and promote a bushier appearance.—
SJ McShane,
Martha Stewart,
9 Feb. 2026
Verb
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For many schools, that means expanding technical education classes, building partnerships with local businesses, and getting creative with transporting teens — some just on the cusp of learning to drive — to part-time work.—
Carley Lanich,
IndyStar,
10 Feb. 2026
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Powered by rapid advances in embodied intelligence, China’s humanoid robots are advancing rapidly, expanding their potential roles in both industrial settings and home environments.—
Atharva Gosavi,
Interesting Engineering,
10 Feb. 2026
Verb
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The Senate’s bill would tie some community development grants from the Department of Housing and Urban Development to housing production, offering bonuses to local governments that accelerate homebuilding while reducing funding for those that fall behind.—
Samantha Delouya,
CNN Money,
8 Feb. 2026
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His move to the Sandringham estate was accelerated after the latest batch of Epstein files were released, and after Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor was seen waving to photographers and bystanders at Windsor Castle, as if nothing had happened.—
Rachel Burchfield,
InStyle,
8 Feb. 2026
Verb
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At the same time, even the most cognitively challenging tasks that humans excel at can also be augmented by AI.—
Jason Ma,
Fortune,
7 Feb. 2026
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The fork in the road was right there in front of them, one a direction of resetting, one of augmenting.—
Ira Winderman,
Sun Sentinel,
7 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Some current central bankers — such as Fed governors Christopher Waller and Lisa Cook, in addition to Powell himself — have concluded AI has the potential to significantly boost productivity.—
Bryan Mena,
CNN Money,
15 Feb. 2026
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The administration’s attacks on Lemon and independent journalists have boosted their online attention and revenue.—
Drew Harwell,
Washington Post,
14 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Aggrandize.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/aggrandize. Accessed 16 Feb. 2026.
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