HEIGHTENING Synonyms: 157 Similar and Opposite Words

heightening 1 of 2

noun

as in strengthening

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Dissimilar Words

heightening

2 of 2

verb

present participle of heighten

as in intensifying

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

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in lifting

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

Synonyms & Similar Words

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 heightening

Noun

Father-Daughter Song A very weird and funny pre-tape that is elevated by its genuinely strange heightening. — Charu Sinha, Vulture, 11 Oct. 2026 The real heightening of this support, though, came four years later. — Anantaajith Raghuraman, New York Times, 19 July 2026 Lighting designer Esquire Jauchem softens and brightens above and around the ever-moving Rubinstein as topics and memories call for the heightening and muting of the president’s feelings and emotions. — Christopher Smith, Oc Register, 20 Jan. 2026 Just a day later, Neptune retrograde shifts into Pisces, heightening intuition and deepening emotional awareness with entirely new depth. — Meghan Rose, Glamour, 1 Oct. 2025

Verb

The inflation report, which comes two weeks before the central bankâ€™s next meeting and three weeks before Election Day, is heightening concerns about the Iran warâ€™s effect on the cost of goods beyond food and energy. — Eleanor Mueller, semafor.com, 14 Oct. 2026 Telecom providers — SpaceX moved to boost its Starlink Mobile service , heightening competition concerns around legacy telecom carriers. — Scott Schnipper, CNBC, 9 Oct. 2026 Related Stories Of course, the Kings have long had a keen eye for distilling and (just barely) heightening the absurdities of modern life. — Alison Herman, Variety, 8 Oct. 2026 Climate change has been heating up Southern California for some time, heightening fire danger and worsening droughts. — Los Angeles Times, 9 Sep. 2026 Last year’s record-shattering monsoon season is heightening the urgency to invest in climate resilience. — Angelica Ang, Fortune, 3 Sep. 2026 The manufacturing and exporting might of China and the artificial intelligence revolution are heightening concerns of France being left behind economically and technologically. — ABC News, 1 Sep. 2026 This, of course, is intensified by the weight of tomorrow’s lunar eclipse, already heightening our emotions. — Valerie Mesa, PEOPLE, 27 Aug. 2026 There’s an Iran war that won’t end, heightening anxieties, plus fluctuating trade policies for those who deal with foreign goods or markets. — Jonathan Lansner, Oc Register, 25 Aug. 2026

Recent Examples of Synonyms for heightening

Noun

The rebuttal is that much of this outlay has been wasteful, blown on poor recruitment choices while other areas badly in need of strengthening have been neglected.

— Conor O'Neill, New York Times, 15 Oct. 2026
During the call, the two presidents also emphasized the continuation and strengthening of bilateral and strategic cooperation between Tehran and Moscow, according to the Iranian state news agency's readout.

— Frank Andrews, CBS News, 7 Oct. 2026

Definition of strengthening

Verb

The move comes amid intensifying geopolitical tensions between Washington and Beijing, with artificial intelligence emerging as a key battleground in the two countries' race for technological dominance.

— Jenny Lee,Kai Nicol-Schwarz, CNBC, 20 Oct. 2026
Researchers found Stage 3 CTE, intensifying concerns about brain trauma in racing.

— Steve Henson, Los Angeles Times, 20 Oct. 2026

Definition of intensifying

Verb

Wealthier boomers aged into the 75-and-older bracket between surveys, lifting its median.

— Nick Lichtenberg, Fortune, 17 Oct. 2026
China has opened much of its financial sector to foreign firms since 2018, gradually lifting foreign ownership caps on services such as securities, futures and fund management.

— Anniek Bao, CNBC, 16 Oct. 2026

Definition of lifting

Noun

The third such increase went into effect this month, but this time there was no such rush.

— Andrew Edgecliffe-Johnson, semafor.com, 16 Oct. 2026
The result is a modest but welcome increase in output, which climbs from 370 hp to 388 hp, while torque remains unchanged at 331 ft lbs.

— Bradley Iger, Robb Report, 16 Oct. 2026

Definition of increase

Verb

There are indications that some of the Central Asian nations present, all of which are post-Soviet states, are deepening diplomatic and economic links with Washington.

— Reuters, NBC news, 20 Oct. 2026
Rahman’s Bangladesh Nationalist Party took power following the popular ouster in 2024 of autocratic former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, whom India granted sanctuary, deepening the rift between the neighbors.

— Charlie Campbell, Time, 20 Oct. 2026

Definition of deepening

Verb

Those officers were not wearing body cameras, raising questions about why the agency still hadn't gotten the cameras out to officers in the field.

— ABC News, ABC News, 14 Oct. 2026
Similar federal lists in other states have proved highly inaccurate, raising concerns that eligible voters could be disenfranchised.

— Kevin Rector, Los Angeles Times, 14 Oct. 2026

Definition of raising

Noun

Planetary believes ocean alkalinity enhancement could eventually remove billions of tons of CO₂ a year.

— Alec Luhn, Scientific American, 20 Oct. 2026
The sentencing has been delayed twice, following disagreements from the defense and prosecution about potential sentencing enhancements.

— Miami Herald, Miami Herald, 20 Oct. 2026

Definition of enhancement

Verb

Among the felony charges Textor faces are five counts of fraud against a financial institution, 13 counts of forgery, two counts of counterfeiting, five counts of fraud and seven counts of fraud with enhancing circumstances.

— Sara Tenenbaum, CBS News, 16 Oct. 2026
Despite this, national reports indicate continued use of performance- and appearance-enhancing drugs, and increasing interest in them.

— New Atlas, New Atlas, 14 Oct. 2026

Definition of enhancing

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heightened

heightening

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Style

“Heightening.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/heightening. Accessed 22 Oct. 2026.

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Synonyms of heightening

noun

verb

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