magnify
v.v. to make something look larger or seem more important than it really is. You use this when talking about using a glass to see small things, or when a problem becomes bigger because of other factors.
v. to increase the apparent size of an object through an optical instrument; by extension, to increase the importance, intensity, or effect of something. Transitive — requires a direct object.
The microscope helps you magnify tiny cells.
The bright lights in the room began to magnify the small cracks in the ceiling, making them look much worse than they were.
While the initial error was minor, the lack of communication between departments served to magnify the problem, eventually leading to a total system failure.
From Middle English magnifien, from Middle French magnifier, from Latin magnificāre, from magnificus.
- Verbmagnify
- Nounmagnification