HEIGHTENED Synonyms: 114 Similar and Opposite Words

heightened 1 of 2

adjective

as in increased

being at a higher level than average there were heightened levels of lead in the drinking water

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

heightened

2 of 2

verb

past tense of heighten

as in intensified

to make markedly greater in measure or degree several controversial measures have heightened parental awareness of the impact of school policy decisions

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in lifted

to move from a lower to a higher place or position heightened the hem on her skirt just a couple of inches

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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 heightened

Adjective

The call-sellers might just be playing the heightened volatility in the fund. — Oliver Renick, CNBC, 2 Sep. 2026 The decision came amid heightened public scrutiny surrounding Grande’s health and physical appearance. — Dave Quinn, PEOPLE, 1 Sep. 2026 Materials such as silk and cashmere are being blended with traditional cotton constructions to create denim that balances authenticity with a heightened sense of sophistication. — Angela Velasquez, Footwear News, 27 Aug. 2026 Travelers planning to visit America’s neighbor to the north may be wondering what the heightened tensions mean for their trips. — Nathan Diller, USA Today, 26 Aug. 2026 Many people who face a heightened likelihood of heart disease and heart attacks can take protective measures, whether by adjusting their lifestyle or starting medication. — Andrew Joseph, STAT, 26 Aug. 2026 Additionally, pregnant women who are at a heightened risk of contracting HIV should be tested at the beginning of their pregnancy and again during the third trimester, says the CDC. — Tj Rhodes, Sioux Falls Argus Leader, 26 Aug. 2026 Southern California Edison is considering thousands of public safety power shutoffs across the region as the heightened heat risk continues to pose danger. — Chelsea Hylton, CBS News, 25 Aug. 2026 Late summer poses a heightened risk for lightning strikes in Florida, often referred to as the lightning strike capital of the world. — David Goodhue, Miami Herald, 24 Aug. 2026

Verb

Travel warnings have been heightened for Americans traveling in the Middle East. — Brittney Melton, NPR, 2 Sep. 2026 Slowing the playback speed deepens the pitch, an alien, ominous effect heightened by amplification. — Jeffrey Weiss, Artforum, 1 Sep. 2026 The tote got a further leg up in the 21st century, when an increasingly casual office culture began to leave the briefcase behind, and heightened environmental concerns (and at times, legislation) prompted shoppers to bring their own reusable bags. — Eric Twardzik, Robb Report, 31 Aug. 2026 Such mutinous talk only heightened conservative Justices’ sense that the barbarians were storming the gate. — Daniel Immerwahr, New Yorker, 31 Aug. 2026 The scandal surrounding the prosecution was heightened by his father’s attempt to stop his relatives from cooperating with authorities. — Los Angeles Times, 30 Aug. 2026 However, fundraising on such a massive scale has also heightened market concerns over long-term capacity oversupply. — CNBC, 28 Aug. 2026 Opposition to the proposition has heightened in recent weeks due to uncertainty over its application to data centers, which are not specifically mentioned in its language. — Sofia Williams, Sacbee.com, 28 Aug. 2026 As YouTube faces heightened scrutiny in Brussels, the lecture also had some lobbying purposes. — Elsa Keslassy, Variety, 26 Aug. 2026

Recent Examples of Synonyms for heightened

Adjective

The company’s turnaround strategy, launched by new CEO Michael Fiddelke after former CEO Brian Cornell stepped down, includes store refreshes, increased staffing, and more aggressive pricing.

— Nancy Jiang, Fortune, 26 Aug. 2026
The embassy warned that increased British involvement would carry increased consequences.

— Aidan Stretch, CBS News, 25 Aug. 2026

Definition of increased

Verb

Earlier in the week, Prokudin said that Russia has intensified attacks on critical infrastructure in the region, which is about 70% under Russian control.

— ABC News, ABC News, 29 Aug. 2026
The legal challenge intensified an unusually public dispute over how AI can be used in warfare and mass surveillance.

— Kaitlyn Huamani, Fortune, 28 Aug. 2026

Definition of intensified

Adjective

The Bank of Korea raised its base rate to 3% in August, its second consecutive hike, as core inflation remained elevated.

— Lim Hui Jie, CNBC, 3 Sep. 2026
One of the many knock-on effects of the energy price shock has been a broad expectation among investors that inflation will stay elevated.

— Steve Kopack, NBC news, 3 Sep. 2026

Definition of elevated

Verb

The intervention of Allied troops on the White Russian side in the Russian Civil War deepened Bolshevik paranoia, and Bolshevik leaders concluded that hostile powers would always seek to destroy Russia by cultivating internal enemies.

— Andrei Soldatov, Foreign Affairs, 31 Aug. 2026
Israel and Greece have deepened defense ties in the last decade.

— Sam Mednick, Los Angeles Times, 31 Aug. 2026

Definition of deepened

Adjective

Eastward to Morgan City, Louisiana, the surge could be as high as 3 feet, while southward along the Texas coast, the storm surge could be up to 2 feet as far south as San Luis Pass, the center stated.

— Dinah Voyles Pulver, USA Today, 2 Sep. 2026
Where companies such as Zero and Stark have pushed hard to gain high output numbers in order to win sales, Bonnell hopes to win them by building e-bikes that appeal to riders and enthusiasts at a more visceral level.

— New Atlas, New Atlas, 2 Sep. 2026

Definition of high

Verb

For daily family casual gaming scenarios, the M7SG is equipped with exclusive Game Mode Plus and enhanced Game Bar, supporting VRR variable refresh rate and ALLM automatic low-latency mode.

— New Atlas, New Atlas, 31 Aug. 2026
Meta agreed to impose changes including a default two-hour daily time limit for teens across Facebook and Instagram, muted notifications during school hours, and enhanced parental controls, with more updates potentially on the horizon.

— Ashley Capoot, CNBC, 29 Aug. 2026

Definition of enhanced

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heighten

heightened

heightening

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

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Synonyms of heightened

adjective

verb

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