amplifier
- 01 B2 Upper Intermediate
a piece of electronic equipment that makes a sound or signal louder and stronger.
an electronic device or circuit used to increase the power, voltage, or current of a signal.
Simple“He plugged his electric guitar into the amplifier and started to play.”
In context“The technician replaced the vacuum tubes in the vintage amplifier to restore the warm, distorted tone preferred by the lead guitarist.”
UsageOften shortened to 'amp' in casual conversation and technical contexts.
Synonyms - 02 B2 Upper Intermediate
a large box that contains a speaker, used by musicians to make their instruments loud enough for an audience.
a portable housing containing a loudspeaker and often an integrated power amplifier, used for live musical performance.
Simple“The roadies carried the heavy amplifiers onto the stage before the concert.”
In context“Stacking multiple amplifiers allowed the rock band to achieve the necessary sound pressure levels for the outdoor stadium performance.”
- 03 C2 Proficiency
a word like 'really' or 'very' that makes another word stronger.
a modifier, typically an adverb, that increases the semantic intensity of the word it modifies.
Simple“In the sentence 'I am so tired,' the word 'so' is an amplifier.”
In context“The professor noted that the student's essay relied too heavily on amplifiers like 'totally' and 'completely' rather than using precise vocabulary.”
Teacher's tipIn general EFL contexts, 'intensifier' is the more common pedagogical term.
SynonymsintensifierAntonymsdowntoner
From amplify + -er.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.