magnify
verb
mag·ni·fy
ˈmag-nə-ˌfī 
magnified; magnifying
1
2
a
: to increase in significance : intensify
… real drama … will use ugliness to magnify beauty …—
Alan Mickle
Alan Mickle
b
: exaggerate
magnifies every minor issue to crisis proportions
3
: to enlarge in fact or in appearance
The lens magnified the image 100 times.
: to have the power of causing objects to appear larger than they are
a glass that magnifies greatly
Examples of magnify in a Sentence
The sound was magnified by the calm air.
His failures have been magnified by the success of his friends.
I don't want to magnify the importance of these problems.
The lens magnified the image 100 times.
a magnified view of the image
Recent Examples on the Web
When two stars align almost perfectly from Earth’s perspective, the gravity of the nearer one bends and magnifies the light from the more distant star, acting like a cosmic magnifying glass.
—
Sam MacDonald,
Scientific American,
6 July 2026
Houston produced just two more base runners across the next five innings — which is a bigger issue than any bullpen decision, but still magnifies any that are made.
—
Chandler Rome,
New York Times,
4 July 2026
For Swift, an increase in solar activity magnified this impact over the past couple of years as the sun reached the peak of its 11-year cycle.
—
Ashley Strickland,
CNN Money,
3 July 2026
That adds an extra level of risk into the market—traders forced to cover their losing bets may end up selling other stocks to raise cash, thus magnifying selling pressure in the markets.
—
Jim Edwards,
Fortune,
1 July 2026
See All Example Sentences for magnify
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
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Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
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Sam MacDonald,
Scientific American,
6 July 2026
Houston produced just two more base runners across the next five innings — which is a bigger issue than any bullpen decision, but still magnifies any that are made.
—
Chandler Rome,
New York Times,
4 July 2026
For Swift, an increase in solar activity magnified this impact over the past couple of years as the sun reached the peak of its 11-year cycle.
—
Ashley Strickland,
CNN Money,
3 July 2026
That adds an extra level of risk into the market—traders forced to cover their losing bets may end up selling other stocks to raise cash, thus magnifying selling pressure in the markets.
—
Jim Edwards,
Fortune,
1 July 2026
See All Example Sentences for magnify
Cite this Entry
“Magnify.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/magnify. Accessed 7 Jul. 2026.
Copy CitationKids Definition
magnify
verb
mag·ni·fy
ˈmag-nə-ˌfī
magnified; magnifying
2
a
: to increase in importance
b
3
: to enlarge in fact or in appearance
a microscope magnifies an object seen through it
magnifier
noun
-ˌfī(-ə)r
Medical Definition
magnify
verb
mag·ni·fy
ˈmag-nə-ˌfī
magnified; magnifying
: to enlarge in appearance
: to have the power of causing objects to appear larger than they are
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