HEIGHTEN

intensify, compound, heighten, deepen

(verb) make more intense, stronger, or more marked; “The efforts were intensified”; “Her rudeness intensified his dislike for her”; “Pot smokers claim it heightens their awareness”; “This event only deepened my convictions”

enhance, heighten, raise

(verb) increase; “This will enhance your enjoyment”; “heighten the tension”

sharpen, heighten

(verb) make (one’s senses) more acute; “This drug will sharpen your vision”

heighten

(verb) make more extreme; raise in quantity, degree, or intensity; “heightened interest”

heighten, rise

(verb) become more extreme; “The tension heightened”

heighten

(verb) increase the height of; “The athletes kept jumping over the steadily heightened bars”

Source: WordNet® 3.1

Etymology

Verb

heighten (third-person singular simple present heightens, present participle heightening, simple past and past participle heightened)

To make high; to raise higher; to elevate.

To advance, increase, augment, make larger, more intense, stronger etc.

Source: Wiktionary

Height"en (hit"'n), v. t. [Written also highten.] [imp. & p. p. Heightened; p. pr. & vb. n. Heightening.]

1. To make high; to raise higher; to elevate.

2. To carry forward; to advance; to increase; to augment; to aggravate; to intensify; to render more conspicuous; -- used of things, good or bad; as, to heighten beauty; to heighten a flavor or a tint. "To heighten our confusion." Addison. An aspect of mystery which was easily heightened to the miraculous. Hawthorne.

Source: Webster’s Unabridged Dictionary 1913 Edition