Could you enlarge on your new theory?
Source: tatoeba (70539)
Enlarge
/ɪnˈlɑːd͡ʒ/
Synonyms for "enlarge" (246 found)
Ranked by relevance and common usage.
Closest matches (50)
Strong matches (73)
Adjective(3 words)
Noun(8 words)
coarseningcultural historical process changedarkroomsdefine scaledistendingexpandinggreatsgrow unicellularly
Related words (123)
heat upheightenhikehike uphot uphuffincreaseinflateintensifyirritatejack upjump uplaborlengthenmagnifymake acutemake worsemanifestmatchmaximize
Show 48 more words
measuremountmultiplyoverstateparlayparticularizeplusprintprocessprogressproportionprovokepuffpuff uppumppump uppushput uppyramidraiserangerankrarefyrehearse in extensoreinforcerelate at largerisescalesharpensizesnowballsortsourspell outspreadstretchsufflatesupplementswellthickentumefyunfoldupupsurgewaxwidenwork outworsen
Verb(20 words)
Noun(34 words)
Adjective(1 words)
Choosing the right synonym
- Closest matches in this entry: dilate, elaborate, expand, magnify, abundance increase.
- Sentence evidence is available for enlarge, so synonym choice can be checked against real usage rather than a flat word list.
- Ranking signals come from wordnet, opengloss, derived_reverse, moby, and related lexical sources.
Synonym selection checklist
- Match the part of speech before comparing meanings.
- Check whether the synonym changes intensity, formality, or emotional tone.
- Read the replacement inside the full sentence, not just beside "enlarge".
- Prefer the clearest word over the most unusual word when writing for speed or comprehension.
When not to replace "enlarge"
Keep "enlarge" when the sentence already sounds natural, when a synonym would add unintended emphasis, or when readers need the most familiar wording. A synonym should clarify or sharpen the message, not simply make the sentence look more varied.
If two options seem close, choose the one that best matches the audience and purpose of the sentence.
Replacement workflow
1. Preserve meaning
Choose a synonym only if it keeps the core idea of "enlarge" intact in the sentence you are editing.
2. Tune tone
Check whether the replacement sounds more formal, casual, emotional, technical, or forceful than the original word.
3. Re-read context
Read the full sentence after the swap. Keep the synonym only when the sentence becomes clearer or more precise.
Review note: Synonym lists are ranked with lexical data and reviewed for practical writing value. Use the comparison notes, sentence evidence, and source labels together; a high-ranking synonym can still be wrong when the audience, register, or grammar changes.
Final fit check
After choosing a replacement for "enlarge", read the sentence once for meaning and once for rhythm. The best synonym should feel natural in the full sentence, not only accurate in a word list.
If the synonym makes the sentence slower, vaguer, or more dramatic than intended, keep "enlarge" or choose a simpler alternative from the closest-match group.
Related word relations
OpenGloss and ConceptNet supply richer edges like generalizations, collocations, and derivations.
More general
6 entriesMore specific
7 entriesCollocations
6 entriesfont enlargementimage enlargementmap enlargementphoto enlargementsize increasetext enlargement
Inflections
3 entriesDerivations
2 entriesTranslations
69 translations across 42 languages.
Albanian
1 entries- Zmadhoj verb (make larger)
Ancient Greek
1 entries- μεγαλύνω verb (make larger)
Arabic
1 entries- كَبَّرَ verb (make larger)
Azerbaijani
2 entries- böyütmək verb (make larger)
- iriləşdirmək verb (make larger)
Breton
1 entries- ledanaat verb (make larger)
Bulgarian
2 entries- увелича́вам verb (make larger)
- уголемявам verb (make larger)
Campidanese Sardinian
1 entries- allargai verb (make larger)
Catalan
2 entries- allargar verb (make larger)
- engrandir verb (make larger)
Chinese Mandarin
3 entries- 加大 verb (make larger)
- 增大 verb (make larger)
- 放大 verb (make larger)
Czech
2 entries- zvětšit verb (make larger)
- zvětšovat verb (make larger)
Danish
1 entries- forstørre verb (make larger)
Dutch
2 entries- uitvergroten verb (make larger)
- vergroten verb (make larger)
Esperanto
2 entries- grandigi verb (make larger)
- pligrandigi verb (make larger)
Finnish
2 entries- laajentaa verb (make larger)
- suurentaa verb (make larger)
French
3 entries- accroître verb (make larger)
- agrandir verb (make larger)
- élargir verb (make larger)
Gallurese
1 entries- allargai verb (make larger)
German
1 entries- vergrößern verb (make larger)
Gothic
1 entries- 𐌼𐌹𐌺𐌹𐌻𐌾𐌰𐌽 verb (make larger)
Greenlandic
1 entries- allivaa verb (make larger)
Hebrew
1 entries- הִגְדִּיל verb (make larger)
Icelandic
1 entries- stækka verb (make larger)
Indonesian
2 entries- membesarkan verb (make larger)
- memperbesar verb (make larger)
Italian
1 entries- allargare verb (make larger)
Japanese
1 entries- 拡大する verb (make larger)
Latin
1 entries- grandiō verb (make larger)
Macedonian
2 entries- зголеми verb (make larger)
- зголемува verb (make larger)
Māori
1 entries- whakarahi verb (make larger)
Norwegian
1 entries- forstørre verb (make larger)
Polish
4 entries- powiększać verb (make larger)
- powiększyć verb (make larger)
- rozszerzać verb (make larger)
- rozszerzyć verb (make larger)
Portuguese
3 entries- ampliar verb (make larger)
- aumentar verb (make larger)
- engrandecer verb (make larger)
Quechua
1 entries- hatunchay verb (make larger)
Russian
4 entries- расши́рить verb (make larger)
- расширя́ть verb (make larger)
- увели́чивать verb (make larger)
- увели́чить verb (make larger)
Sassarese
1 entries- allargà verb (make larger)
Slovene
1 entries- povečati verb (make larger)
Spanish
4 entries- agrandar verb (make larger)
- ampliar verb (make larger)
- engrandar verb (make larger)
- engrandecer verb (make larger)
Swedish
1 entries- förstora verb (make larger)
Tamil
1 entries- பெருக verb (make larger)
Telugu
1 entries- పెరుగుట verb (make larger)
Tày
1 entries- boỏng verb (make larger)
Ukrainian
4 entries- збі́льшити verb (make larger)
- збі́льшувати verb (make larger)
- розши́рити verb (make larger)
- розши́рювати verb (make larger)
Welsh
1 entries- ychwanegu verb (make larger)
Yiddish
1 entries- פֿאַרגרעסערן verb (make larger)
Sample sentences
23 total sentences available.
He tried to enlarge his sphere of influence.
Source: tatoeba (300296)
They're going to enlarge their store.
Source: tatoeba (2259669)
He wanted to enlarge his sphere of influence.
Source: tatoeba (3150290)
Showing 4 of 23 available sentences.
Common questions
What are the closest synonyms for "enlarge"?
Closest matches include dilate, elaborate, expand, magnify, abundance increase.
How should I check whether a synonym fits "enlarge"?
Compare the replacement against real sentence context. This entry includes sample sentences so you can check tone, grammar, and meaning before swapping words.