enlarge

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Synonym Chooser

How does the verb enlarge contrast with its synonyms?

Some common synonyms of enlarge are augment, increase, and multiply. While all these words mean "to make or become greater," enlarge implies expansion or extension that makes greater in size or capacity.

enlarged the kitchen

In what contexts can augment take the place of enlarge?

Although the words augment and enlarge have much in common, augment implies addition to what is already well grown or well developed.

the inheritance augmented his fortune

When might increase be a better fit than enlarge?

The words increase and enlarge are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, increase used intransitively implies progressive growth in size, amount, or intensity; used transitively it may imply simple not necessarily progressive addition.

his waistline increased with age
increased her landholdings

Where would multiply be a reasonable alternative to enlarge?

While in some cases nearly identical to enlarge, multiply implies increase in number by natural generation or by indefinite repetition of a process.

with each attempt the problems multiplied

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 enlarge In the case of the 996, the mill was enlarged from the Boxster’s 3.0-liter flat-six to a 3.4-liter version. Robert Ross, Robb Report, 1 Aug. 2025 On a couple of occasions, audience members are brought onstage to enlarge the community that much more. Christopher Arnott, Hartford Courant, 22 July 2025 Each armed conflict that a President undertook without congressional authorization became a precedent that further enlarged what the executive branch considered constitutionally permissible. Jeannie Suk Gersen, New Yorker, 28 June 2025 Great leaders are constantly enlarging their sphere of awareness – and yours along with it. Eli Amdur, Forbes.com, 27 June 2025 See All Example Sentences for enlarge
Recent Examples of Synonyms for enlarge
Verb
  • During the month of its release, the number of articles about KPop Demon Hunters increased nearly four-fold to 1,394.
    Caroline Reid, Forbes.com, 19 Aug. 2025
  • The program helped increase all patients’ access to care — not just kids’ — but the impact of its loss is greater for pediatricians because so many children in Idaho are on Medicaid.
    Sarah Cutler, Idaho Statesman, 18 Aug. 2025
Verb
  • The Visual Media & Platform division, which includes anime and mobile content in Japan, also expanded.
    Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 7 Aug. 2025
  • Senate Bill 19, passed during the 2025 legislative session, expanded on a preexisting law that allowed parents to pull students from school for moral instruction one hour each week.
    Keely Doll, The Courier-Journal, 7 Aug. 2025
Verb
  • Using his electric superpower, Fester causes an explosion that frees the L.O.I.S. subjects from their cells.
    Selome Hailu, Variety, 7 Aug. 2025
  • With the intervention of the Lodi Fire Department, authorities were able to access the box and free the unidentified woman.
    David Chiu, People.com, 6 Aug. 2025
Verb
  • Since 1975, COLAs have been applied each year using CPI-W data from the third quarter—July through September—with the intention of keeping benefits in step with rising costs for essentials like housing, food and medical care.
    Aliss Higham, MSNBC Newsweek, 15 Aug. 2025
  • The benchmark 10-year note yield rose nearly 4 basis points to 4.328%.
    Lisa Kailai Han,Sawdah Bhaimiya, CNBC, 15 Aug. 2025
Verb
  • Toucan’s carbon pool grew 400% in 2024 as institutional ESG demand accelerated.
    Sean Lee, Forbes.com, 14 Aug. 2025
  • The public fight between medicine and government is now accelerating the nation onto a path where advice diverges over not just COVID shots but vaccines generally.
    Katherine J. Wu, The Atlantic, 13 Aug. 2025
Verb
  • Shaked, who was liberated from the Matthausen camp, was referring to the condition of Evyatar David and Rom Braslavski, young men abducted on Oct. 7, 2023, from the Nova music festival in southern Israel.
    Philissa Cramer, Sun Sentinel, 11 Aug. 2025
  • How did One Piece season 1 end? Season 1 of Netflix's One Piece adaptation ended with Luffy and the Straw Hat gang liberating Nami's hometown of Coco Village from Arlong (McKinley Belcher III), the spiky-nosed fish-man with hopes of turning the village into a fish-men empire.
    EW.com, EW.com, 11 Aug. 2025
Verb
  • Losses over $100,000 swell 700% Losses among those older adults who lost at least $100,000 have swelled to $445 million in 2024 from $55 million in 2020, according to the FTC.
    Greg Iacurci, CNBC, 8 Aug. 2025
  • Wound infections typically come with fever, redness, pain, swelling, discharge and discoloration.
    Mary Whitfill Roeloffs, Forbes.com, 8 Aug. 2025
Verb
  • Leaders in this space are also looking to facilitate flight modifications via enhanced aerodynamics and real-time diagnostics—augmented by smart sensors.
    Robert Lane, Forbes.com, 6 Aug. 2025
  • Advertisement When a crisis occurs, instead of setting up tent cities with food, education, healthcare, sanitation, and other necessary services, refugees are housed within existing communities, which have their infrastructure and facilities augmented by donor funding.
    Charlie Campbell, Time, 1 Aug. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Enlarge.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/enlarge. Accessed 22 Aug. 2025.

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