heightened 1 of 2

adjective

as in increased
being at a higher level than average there were heightened levels of lead in the drinking water

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

heightened

2 of 2

verb

past tense of heighten
1
as in intensified
to make markedly greater in measure or degree several controversial measures have heightened parental awareness of the impact of school policy decisions

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in lifted
to move from a lower to a higher place or position heightened the hem on her skirt just a couple of inches

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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 heightened
Adjective
Andreas Hauskrecht, a clinical professor of business economics at Indiana University, flagged heightened energy prices as a concern for months to come, as much of those higher costs could filter through other areas of the economy. — Alicia Wallace, CNN Money, 12 Aug. 2026 The departures have come during heightened tensions over immigration in South Africa. — ABC News, 12 Aug. 2026 If things start to look like an actual slowdown of AI is going to be imposed, there will be a heightened frenzy to beat the deadline and proceed with tremendous haste. — Lance Eliot, Forbes.com, 11 Aug. 2026 Jennifer Stone credited her work as an ER nurse with keeping her grounded after growing up in the heightened world of Disney Channel fame. — Lauryn Overhultz, FOXNews.com, 11 Aug. 2026 Hubei authorities have issued a yellow warning for cities including Xiangyang, Huanggang and Suizhou, citing a heightened risk of flooding and landslides. — Reuters, NBC news, 11 Aug. 2026 Dangerously hot temperatures, dry conditions, and severe thunderstorms are expected to sweep across much of the United States this week, sparking heightened risk of wildfires and flash flooding in some regions, according to meteorologists. — Karissa Waddick, USA Today, 10 Aug. 2026 The hosts are still getting used to receiving a heightened level of attention, to being idolized by both the general nerd and Black nerd communities. — Daniel Strauss, Vanity Fair, 10 Aug. 2026 The heightened risk of losing visa-free access to the EU bloc comes after Dominica already lost Britain’s visa-free access. — Jacqueline Charles, Miami Herald, 9 Aug. 2026
Verb
Deadly attacks on vessels in the Red Sea and Gulf of Oman heightened concerns over risks to global shipping routes and sent global oil prices higher to around $90 per barrel on Wednesday. — Priyanka Salve, CNBC, 12 Aug. 2026 The risks are heightened for women of color, according to the most recent maternal mortality data from the March of Dimes and the CDC. — Kristin Wright, NPR, 11 Aug. 2026 Growing tensions with Washington have heightened Beijing’s anxieties. — Caitlin Welsh, Foreign Affairs, 11 Aug. 2026 The recent incidents, however, have heightened calls for a slowdown. — Lisa Eadicicco, CNN Money, 9 Aug. 2026 When asked to name a passion that has heightened with age, Shatner cites staying alive. — Bryan Alexander, USA Today, 8 Aug. 2026 The hot slap of her rebellion was heightened by the gulf in the social positions of the two men from whom her bloodline sprang. — Literary Hub, 6 Aug. 2026 While every other Hughes film is grounded in ordinary everyday experiences only slightly heightened for comedic effect, Weird Science stands apart as his big cartoonish swing at a high concept sci-fi comedy. — Al Shipley, SPIN, 4 Aug. 2026 El Confidencial said the concern was heightened by Ceuta’s proximity to Fnideq, also known as Castillejos, a Moroccan border town that has figured in previous jihadist recruitment investigations. — Efrat Lachter, FOXNews.com, 4 Aug. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for heightened
  1. increased
  2. intensified
  3. lifted
  4. elevated
  5. deepened
  6. raised
  7. high
  8. enhanced
Adjective
  • In Year 2, Bryant is playing at an increased tempo that comes with a greater understanding of the offense.
    — Nick Kosmider, New York Times, 4 Aug. 2026
  • And while a prospective cohort of 168 first-trimester exposures found no increased risk of major birth defects or pregnancy loss, the sample is too small to be reassuring.
    — Jesse Pines, Forbes.com, 4 Aug. 2026
Definition of increased
Verb
  • Houthis’ allies The Houthis are backed by Iran, which began increasing its aid to the group in 2014 as the civil war escalated and as its rivalry with Saudi Arabia intensified.
    — Sophie Tanno, CNN Money, 8 Aug. 2026
  • Violence has intensified across several regions as criminal organizations and guerrilla groups have expanded their territorial influence over the past several years.
    — Armando Regil Velasco, FOXNews.com, 8 Aug. 2026
Definition of intensified
Verb
  • Tromso, the northernmost football club in the world to win a major national trophy, having lifted the Norwegian Cup in 1986 and 1996, are tricky opponents.
    — Andy Naylor, New York Times, 14 Aug. 2026
  • WorldView-3 lifted off on a United Launch Alliance Atlas V rocket from Vandenberg Air Force Base in California and has been orbiting Earth ever since.
    — Chelsea Gohd, Space.com, 13 Aug. 2026
Definition of lifted
Adjective
  • But even with the steep drop-off, prices remain elevated for this time of year.
    — Claire Malon, Chicago Tribune, 14 Aug. 2026
  • Too much caffeine can cause a racing heart, shakiness, anxiety, headaches, elevated blood pressure, and trouble sleeping.
    — Dr. Onaola Adedeji, ABC News, 13 Aug. 2026
Definition of elevated
Verb
  • At dinnertime, Thune gathered all the Republican senators for a meeting as the standoff deepened at the Capitol.
    — Lisa Mascaro, Fortune, 8 Aug. 2026
  • The threats came amid rampant speculation and scrutiny of the investigation, deepened in part by uncertainty surrounding Wells’ final hours, distrust of law enforcement and the state’s long history of racist violence.
    — Josh Kelety, Chicago Tribune, 6 Aug. 2026
Definition of deepened
Verb
  • Elsewhere, Stockard Channing and Dianne Wiest reprise their roles as the eclectic aunts who raised the sisters.
    — Charlotte Phillipp, PEOPLE, 9 Aug. 2026
  • For some in the Howard community, the bitter experience has raised questions about the legacy of one of the country’s most revered historically Black colleges and universities.
    — Matt Brown, Fortune, 8 Aug. 2026
Definition of raised
Adjective
  • Thailand’s high rate of gun ownership is second only to Pakistan in Asia, and far surpasses its Southeast Asian neighbors.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 12 Aug. 2026
  • The state is announcing an average increase of almost 30% for those already paying the highest rates.
    — John Ramos, CBS News, 12 Aug. 2026
Definition of high
Verb
  • Abreu’s odds to hit a homer are also enhanced by playing in Toronto tonight.
    — Josh Shepardson, Forbes.com, 10 Aug. 2026
  • Davy enhanced Cassie’s lips using a big lip liner and added fake freckles, a reflection of TikTok and Instagram trends.
    — Jazz Tangcay, Variety, 10 Aug. 2026
Definition of enhanced

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Cite this Entry

“Heightened.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/heightened. Accessed 16 Aug. 2026.

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Nglish: Translation of heightened for Spanish Speakers

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