magnify

v., -fied, -fy·ing, -fies.

v.tr.

1. To make greater in size; enlarge.
2. To cause to appear greater or seem more important than is in fact the case; exaggerate: You have grossly magnified a trivial situation. See synonyms at exaggerate.
3. To increase the apparent size of, especially by means of a lens.
4. To glorify or praise.

v.intr.
To increase or have the power to increase the size or volume of an image or a sound.

[Middle English magnifien, to extol, from Old French magnifier, from Latin magnificāre, from magnificus, magnificent. See magnific.]

verb

1. To make or become greater or larger: aggrandize, amplify, augment, boost, build, build up, burgeon, enlarge, escalate, expand, extend, grow, increase, mount, multiply, proliferate, rise, run up, snowball, soar, swell, upsurge, wax. Informal beef up. See increase/decrease.
2. To make (something) seem greater than is actually the case: exaggerate, hyperbolize, inflate, overcharge, overstate. Idioms: blow up out of proportion, lay it on thick, stretch the truth. See increase/decrease.
3. To pay tribute or homage to: acclaim, celebrate, eulogize, exalt, extol, glorify, hail², honor, laud, panegyrize, praise. Idioms: sing someone's praises. See praise/blame.
4. To honor (a deity) in religious worship: exalt, extol, glorify, laud, praise. See religion.
5. To raise to a high position or status: aggrandize, apotheosize, dignify, elevate, ennoble, exalt, glorify, uplift. Idioms: put on a pedestal. See rise/fall.

v

Definition: enlarge, intensify
Antonyms: decrease, diminish, lessen, miniaturize, reduce, weaken

v

Definition: exaggerate
Antonyms: diminish, minimize, play down, reduce, understate

---

IN BRIEF: To make look or seem larger than is really so.

A telescope will magnify a star a thousand times, but a good press agent can do even better. — Fred Allen (1894-1956)

Dansk (Danish)
v. tr. - forstørre, dimensionere, gøre større
v. intr. - overdrive

idioms:

• magnifying glass    forstørrelsesglas, lup

Nederlands (Dutch)
vergroten, versterken, overdrijven, ophemelen

Français (French)
v. tr. - grossir (au microscope), agrandir (une image), amplifier (le son), exagérer (un incident)
v. intr. - grossir (au microscope), exagérer (un incident)

idioms:

• magnifying glass    loupe

Deutsch (German)
v. - vergrößern, aufbauschen, verstärken

idioms:

• magnifying glass    Lupe, Vergrößerungsglas

Ελληνική (Greek)
v. - μεγεθύνω, υπερβάλλω, μεγαλοποιώ

idioms:

• magnifying glass    μεγεθυντικός φακός

Italiano (Italian)
ingrandire

idioms:

• magnifying glass    lente di ingrandimento

Português (Portuguese)
v. - ampliar, louvar, exagerar

idioms:

• magnifying glass    lente de aumento (f)

Русский (Russian)
увеличивать, превозносить

idioms:

• magnifying glass    лупа

Español (Spanish)
v. tr. - ampliar, aumentar, ensalzar, alabar, exagerar
v. intr. - ampliar, aumentar

idioms:

• magnifying glass    lente de aumento

Svenska (Swedish)
v. - förstora, förstärka, överdriva, lovsjunga

中文（简体）(Chinese (Simplified))
放大, 赞美, 扩大, 有放大能力

idioms:

• magnifying glass    放大镜, 放大器

中文（繁體）(Chinese (Traditional))
v. tr. - 放大, 讚美, 擴大
v. intr. - 有放大能力

idioms:

• magnifying glass    放大鏡, 放大器

한국어 (Korean)
v. tr. - ~을 크게 보이게 하다, 확대하다, 과장하다
v. intr. - 확대력이 있다

日本語 (Japanese)
v. - 拡大する, 誇張する

العربيه (Arabic)
‏(فعل) يعظم, يكبر‏

עברית (Hebrew)
v. tr. - ‮הגדיל, הגדיל (ע"י עדשה), הגביר, הגזים, הילל, שיבח (מיושן)‬
v. intr. - ‮הגדיל גוף‬

If you are unable to view some languages clearly, click here.

To select your translation preferences click here.