enlarge

verb

in-ˈlärj How to pronounce enlarge (audio)
Definition of enlargenext
1
as in to increase
to become greater in extent, volume, amount, or number as the number of people with cell phones enlarges, more transmission towers will have to be built

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to expand
to make greater in size, amount, or number with a new member of the family on the way, maybe we should consider enlarging the house

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in to liberate
to set free (as from slavery or confinement) like a wild animal enlarged from a leghold trap, the freed prisoner raced about

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Synonym Chooser

How does the verb enlarge contrast with its synonyms?

Some common synonyms of enlarge are augment, increase, and multiply. While all these words mean "to make or become greater," enlarge implies expansion or extension that makes greater in size or capacity.

enlarged the kitchen

In what contexts can augment take the place of enlarge?

Although the words augment and enlarge have much in common, augment implies addition to what is already well grown or well developed.

the inheritance augmented his fortune

When might increase be a better fit than enlarge?

The words increase and enlarge are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, increase used intransitively implies progressive growth in size, amount, or intensity; used transitively it may imply simple not necessarily progressive addition.

his waistline increased with age
increased her landholdings

Where would multiply be a reasonable alternative to enlarge?

While in some cases nearly identical to enlarge, multiply implies increase in number by natural generation or by indefinite repetition of a process.

with each attempt the problems multiplied

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of enlarge Rebuilt in 1850, it was enlarged just a couple decades later for Sir Samuel Stephens Marling, who would go on to become the 1st Baronet of Stanley Park and Sedbury Park. — Tori Latham, Robb Report, 20 Aug. 2026 Kim has boosted his military and diplomatic credentials in recent years by enlarging his nuclear arsenal and aligning with Russia over its war against Ukraine. — ABC News, 18 Aug. 2026 The Cleveland Clinic describes it as a condition where the heart is enlarged and has trouble pumping blood. — Callum Sutherland, Time, 17 Aug. 2026 The bet underneath it is that the risk calculus has inverted, and that the segment banks spent decades pricing as marginal is the one AI is about to enlarge. — Boaz Sobrado, Forbes.com, 7 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for enlarge
Recent Examples of Synonyms for enlarge
  1. increase
  2. expand
  3. liberate
  4. rise
  5. accelerate
  6. free
  7. swell
  8. augment
Verb
  • There are also increasing concerns that the Russia-Ukraine war could escalate, amid reports that CIA chief John Ratcliffe have made a secretive Moscow trip to warn Russia against attacking NATO.
    — Justina Lee, CNBC, 28 Aug. 2026
  • Friday starts dry in the Twin Cities with clouds and temperatures increasing through the afternoon.
    — Joseph Dames, CBS News, 28 Aug. 2026
Definition of increase
Verb
  • Japan’s Inpex, for example, formed a joint venture to expand its LNG investment in Australia’s Northern Territory.
    — Katie Silver, Fortune, 29 Aug. 2026
  • While most of its stores are in mainland China, the company had 4,378 stores overseas as of end-June and has been expanding into new markets, including central Asia and the Americas.
    — Jenny Lee, CNBC, 28 Aug. 2026
Definition of expand
Verb
  • Chad Tracy is an attention-to-detail kind of guy, which helps explain why the Boston Red Sox liberated him from Triple-A obscurity in April to be their interim manager after Alex Cora was let go.
    — Steve Buckley, New York Times, 3 Sep. 2026
  • And just down the street, there's an elementary school named after a Haitian leader who helped liberate the island nation.
    — Dana Taylor, USA Today, 1 Sep. 2026
Definition of liberate
Verb
  • But rising bond yields make safer government debt more attractive relative to stocks, while also reducing the present value investors assign to companies’ future earnings.
    — Lee Ying Shan, CNBC, 3 Sep. 2026
  • At the same time, waste is still piling up and resale’s environmental footprint is rising.
    — Bella Webb, Vogue, 3 Sep. 2026
Definition of rise
Verb
  • However, with multiple suppliers accelerating expansion, the eventual release of new capacity has raised fears of an inflection point in chip prices, which could threaten current high margins.
    — , CNBC, 28 Aug. 2026
  • But no one has generated that feeling more than Mahomes, starting with some jaw-dropping throws in his first NFL start in the 2017 regular-season finale and accelerating with his true debut in 2018 with 10 touchdown passes in the first two games.
    — Kansas City Star, Kansas City Star, 28 Aug. 2026
Definition of accelerate
Verb
  • The 60-day injury list would change to 12 weeks and would still free up a 40-man roster spot.
    — Evan Drellich, New York Times, 28 Aug. 2026
  • Some analysts believe part of the recent selling stems from investors freeing up capital to participate in trading.
    — , CNBC, 28 Aug. 2026
Definition of free
Verb
  • Each morning at the crack of dawn, in one of the great Instagram moments of our time, 165 enormous balloons begin to swell in Cappadocia's half-light, their burners briefly illuminating the valley floor.
    — Scott Campbell, Condé Nast Traveler, 2 Sep. 2026
  • But the administration, led by Deputy Defense Secretary Steve Feinberg, has pushed ahead, recruiting bankers to help wield a loan authority that has swelled from $1 billion to $200 billion thanks to the recent Republican party-line tax bill.
    — Eleanor Mueller, semafor.com, 2 Sep. 2026
Definition of swell
Verb
  • In future windows, a younger, faster centre-back feels required to augment an ageing cohort, with Burn and Fabian Schar both 34 and only Malick Thiaw possessing much pace.
    — Chris Waugh, New York Times, 3 Sep. 2026
  • Every solution is designed to augment human expertise rather than replace it, ensuring AI strengthens decision-making while maintaining accountability, transparency, and trust.
    — Lyssanoel Frater, USA Today, 3 Sep. 2026
Definition of augment

Phrases Containing enlarge

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enlacing
enlarge
enlarged
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Cite this Entry

“Enlarge.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/enlarge. Accessed 4 Sep. 2026.

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