She tried to allay their fears but only ended up heightening them.
Source: tatoeba (699979)
Heightening
Synonyms for "heightening" (98 found)
Ranked by relevance and common usage.
Closest matches (20)
Strong matches (29)
condensationconsolidationcontentiousnesscumulativedeepeningdeliberate aggravationdeteriorationdilatationdilationembitteringembittermentenhancementenlargementexacerbationexaggeratingexaggerationexasperationexcessexorbitanceexpansion
Show 4 more words
Noun(5 words)
Related words (49)
Noun(11 words)
growthincreaseincreasingintensificationintensifyintensifyingintensifying adverb examplesraiseshoalingstrengthentoughening
heating-uphucksteringhyperbolehyperbolismincreaseinflationinformation explosioninordinacyintensificationirritationmagnificationoveremphasisoverestimationoverkilloverstatementpickuppopulation explosionprodigalityprofusenessprovocation
Show 18 more words
Choosing the right synonym
- Closest matches in this entry: accelerando, acceleration, accentuation, advantage, aggrandizement.
- Sentence evidence is available for heightening, so synonym choice can be checked against real usage rather than a flat word list.
- Ranking signals come from moby, opengloss, derived_reverse.
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 "heightening".
- Prefer the clearest word over the most unusual word when writing for speed or comprehension.
When not to replace "heightening"
Keep "heightening" 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 "heightening" 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 "heightening", 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 "heightening" 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
9 entriesamplificationescalationgradable adjectivegrowthincreaseintensificationperceptual modulationrhetorical devicesemantic technique
More specific
15 entriesamplificationamplifying attentionamplifying effectdramatic heighteningemotional heighteningescalating focusescalating surveillanceescalationintensificationintensifying awarenessintensifying exposureintensifying stimuluslexical heighteningstricter regulationstightened controls
Collocations
9 entriesheightening awarenessheightening contrastheightening effectheightening intensityheightening interestheightening riskheightening scrutinyheightening stakesheightening tension
Inflections
3 entriesDerivations
4 entriessimilar
1 entriesSample sentences
5 total sentences available.
And so let freedom ring from the prodigious hilltops of New Hampshire. Let freedom ring from the mighty mountains of New York. Let freedom ring from the heightening Alleghenies of Pennsylvania. Let freedom ring from the snow-capped Rockies of Colorado. Let freedom ring from the curvaceous slopes of California.
Source: tatoeba (8304214)
She adds another 48 countries are seriously exposed, heightening the threat of a global debt crisis.
Source: tatoeba (11566494)
For them, there was "an increase in total lymphocyte production, and a higher IG antibody response," among other heightenings.
Source: wiktionary
Showing 4 of 5 available sentences.
Common questions
What are the closest synonyms for "heightening"?
Closest matches include accelerando, acceleration, accentuation, advantage, aggrandizement.
How should I check whether a synonym fits "heightening"?
Compare the replacement against real sentence context. This entry includes sample sentences so you can check tone, grammar, and meaning before swapping words.