heighten
gb/hˈaɪtən/ us/hˈaɪtən/
B2
English
fokoz, növel, magasít, megemel, kiemel, felerősít, eltúloz, felnagyít
VERB
C1
1
Usage pattern:
heighten [something]
The latest report has heightened concerns about data privacy.
A legfrissebb jelentés fokozta az adatvédelemmel kapcsolatos aggályokat.
His comments only heightened tensions between the two teams.
A megjegyzései csak tovább fokozták a feszültséget a két csapat között.
Bright lighting can heighten the sense of space in a small room.
Learner examples
The news heightened my worries.
A hír fokozta az aggodalmaimat.
The music heightened the mood.
A zene fokozta a hangulatot.
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes use *heighten* for physical height only; it is very common with abstract nouns like tension, anxiety, or risk.
Meaning
make stronger or more intense
Collocations
heighten awareness
|heighten tension
|heighten anxiety
|heighten fears
|heighten concern
|heighten risk
|heighten expectations
|heighten interest
|heighten pressure
|heighten the impact
Synonyms
intensify (More direct and common for making feelings or effects stronger.)
|
increase (Broader and more neutral; may sound less dramatic.)
|
amplify (Often suggests making something stronger by adding emphasis or attention.)
Antonyms
reduce (To make the level or intensity smaller.)
|
diminish (To make something seem or become less important or intense.)
Themes
emotions
|communication
|risk
|news_media
Definition
To make something stronger or more serious.
To make something greater in strength, intensity, importance, or likelihood.
VERB
B2
2
Usage pattern:
heighten [structure/object]
They plan to heighten the fence to improve security.
A biztonság javítása érdekében meg akarják magasítani a kerítést.
The renovation will heighten the ceiling and add more natural light.
A felújítás során megemelik a mennyezetet, és több természetes fényt engednek be.
The stage was heightened so the audience at the back could see better.
Learner examples
We heightened the wall.
Megmagasítottuk a falat.
They want to heighten the fence.
Meg akarják magasítani a kerítést.
Common mistake:
This sense is less common than the abstract sense; *raise* is often more natural for simple physical movement.
Meaning
make something physically higher
Collocations
heighten a wall
|heighten the fence
|heighten the ceiling
|heighten the platform
|heighten the building
|heighten the stage
Synonyms
raise (More general; can mean lift temporarily or increase height permanently.)
|
elevate (Often more formal and suggests lifting to a higher position.)
Antonyms
lower (To move something down or make it less high.)
|
shorten (To make something shorter in length or height.)
Themes
daily_life
|construction
|design
Definition
To make something taller or higher.
To increase the height of something by raising or adding to it.
VERB
C1
3
Usage pattern:
heighten [sound/color/flavor/effect]
A squeeze of lemon can heighten the flavors in the sauce.
Egy kevés citromlé kiemelheti a szósz ízeit.
The editor heightened the contrast to bring out details in the photo.
A szerkesztő felerősítette a kontrasztot, hogy jobban látszódjanak a részletek a fotón.
The soundtrack heightens the suspense in the final scene.
Learner examples
Salt can heighten flavor.
A só kiemelheti az ízeket.
This filter heightens the colors.
Ez a szűrő kiemeli a színeket.
Common mistake:
Learners may overuse *heighten* where *make louder/brighter/stronger* is more natural in casual speech.
Meaning
make sensory qualities stronger
Collocations
heighten contrast
|heighten colors
|heighten flavor
|heighten the aroma
|heighten the sound
|heighten the effect
|heighten the atmosphere
Synonyms
enhance (Suggests improving as well as making stronger.)
|
accentuate (Emphasizes making a feature stand out.)
|
sharpen (Often used for making an effect clearer or more distinct.)
Antonyms
soften (To make an effect less strong or harsh.)
|
mute (To make sound or color less strong or noticeable.)
Themes
food
|arts
|music
|design
Definition
To make a sound, color, or taste stronger.
To make a sensory quality such as sound, color, taste, or smell stronger or more noticeable.
VERB
C1
FORMAL
4
Usage pattern:
heighten [story/drama/effect]
The film heightens the danger to keep the audience on edge.
A film felnagyítja a veszélyt, hogy feszültségben tartsa a nézőt.
She admitted she had heightened the story to make it funnier.
Beismerte, hogy eltúlozta a történetet, hogy viccesebb legyen.
The advertising heightens the product’s benefits and ignores its flaws.
Learner examples
The movie heightens the drama.
A film felnagyítja a drámát.
He heightened the story.
Eltúlozta a történetet.
Common mistake:
This sense can overlap with ‘intensify’; here it often implies deliberate dramatization.
Meaning
make seem more dramatic
Collocations
heighten the drama
|heighten the sense of danger
|heighten the effect
|heighten the suspense
|heighten a story
Synonyms
dramatize (Clearly suggests presenting something in a more dramatic way.)
|
exaggerate (More explicit about making something larger or worse than reality.)
Antonyms
downplay (To make something seem less important or serious.)
|
understate (To describe something as less strong or important than it is.)
Themes
arts
|writing
|media
Definition
To make something sound more dramatic than it is.
To make something seem more extreme, dramatic, or significant than it really is, especially to produce a particular effect.
Grammar
Dictionary form
heighten
IPA
GB/hˈaɪtən/
US/hˈaɪtən/
Syllables & stress
height - en (2 syllables)
Stress on 1st syllable (height)
Word forms
Verb
- Base: heighten
- 3rd Person Singular: heightens
- Present Participle: heightening
- Past: heightened
Word family
Expressions
heighten awareness
1/hˈaɪtən əwˈɛɹnəs/
fixed phrase
increase public knowledge or attention
To help people notice or understand something more.
Examples
- The campaign aims to heighten awareness of mental health at work.
- Training sessions can heighten awareness of unconscious bias.
- The documentary heightened awareness of the impact of microplastics.
Learner examples
- This video heightens awareness of road safety.
heighten tensions
1/hˈaɪtən tˈɛnt͡ʃənz/
fixed phrase
make conflict feel more serious
To make a conflict more tense.
Examples
- The border incident heightened tensions between the two countries.
- A sudden price hike can heighten tensions between management and staff.
- His angry reply heightened tensions in the meeting.
Learner examples
- The argument heightened tensions.
heighten the drama
1/hˈaɪtən ðə dɹˈɑmə/
fixed phrase
make a situation more dramatic
To make something more dramatic.
Examples
- The director heightens the drama with sudden cuts and close-ups.
- Don’t heighten the drama—just tell me what happened.
- The article heightens the drama by focusing on the most emotional details.
Learner examples
- The movie heightens the drama.
heighten the sense of (something)
1/hˈaɪtən ðə sˈɛns əv sˈʌmθɪŋ/
fixed phrase
make a particular feeling stronger
To make a feeling stronger.
Examples
- The silence heightened the sense of unease in the room.
- The narrow streets heighten the sense of history in the old town.
- Keeping the lights low heightened the sense of intimacy.
Learner examples
- The music heightened the sense of danger.
heighten the stakes
1/hˈaɪtən ðə stˈeɪks/
fixed phrase
make the consequences more important
To make a situation more risky or important.
Examples
- Adding a time limit heightens the stakes and forces faster decisions.
- The company’s new rival has heightened the stakes in the market.
- The sequel heightens the stakes by putting the main character’s family in danger.
Learner examples
- The deadline heightens the stakes.