Aggrandize — Meaning, Definition & Synonyms

verb /ə-ˈgran-ˌdīz/ ag·gran·dize

Meaning & Definition of Aggrandize

Aggrandize (verb)

  1. to make great or greater, increase, enlarge
  2. to make appear great or greater, praise highly
  3. to enhance the power, wealth, position, or reputation of

Aggrandize (verb) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

  1. to assign a high status or value to

    "a movie that aggrandizes the bad guys and makes the cops look like dopes"

    similar: canonize, deify, dignify, elevate, ennoble, enshrine, ensky, enthrone, exalt, glorify, magnify
    related: boost, lift, promote, raise, upgrade, uplift, heighten, intensify, idealize, romanticize, sanitize, sugarcoat, acclaim, extol, honor, laud, praise
    opposite: abase, degrade, demean, humble, humiliate
    near: belittle, decry, depreciate, detract, disparage, minimize

  2. to make greater in size, amount, or number

    "a generous grant, enabling the library to significantly aggrandize its collection"

    similar: accelerate, add (to), amplify, augment, boost, build up, compound, enlarge, escalate, expand, extend, hype, increase, multiply, pump up, raise, stoke, supersize, swell, up
    related: boom, jump, skyrocket, spike, bump (up), ratchet (up), blow up, dilate, distend, inflate, draw out, elongate, flesh (out), lengthen, prolong, protract, stretch, develop, enhance, heighten, intensify, magnify, complement, supplement, beef (up), reinforce, strengthen, maximize, accumulate, amass, collect, follow up, parlay
    opposite: abate, decrease, de-escalate, diminish, downsize, dwindle, lessen, lower, minify, reduce, subtract (from)
    near: abbreviate, abridge, curtail, shorten, compress, condense, constrict, contract, cut back, retrench

Synonyms, Thesaurus & Another Word for Aggrandize

The most common words with a similar meaning to Aggrandize:

canonize, deify, dignify, elevate, ennoble, enshrine, ensky, enthrone, exalt, glorify, magnify, accelerate, add (to), amplify, augment, boost, build up, compound, enlarge, escalate, expand, extend, hype, increase, multiply, pump up, raise, stoke, supersize, swell, up

Antonyms & Opposite Words for Aggrandize

Words with the opposite meaning of Aggrandize:

abase, degrade, demean, humble, humiliate, abate, decrease, de-escalate, diminish, downsize, dwindle, lessen, lower, minify, reduce, subtract (from)

Related Words for Aggrandize

lift, promote, upgrade, uplift, heighten, intensify, idealize, romanticize, sanitize, sugarcoat, acclaim, extol, honor, laud, praise, boom, jump, skyrocket, spike, bump (up), ratchet (up), blow up, dilate, distend, inflate, draw out, elongate, flesh (out), lengthen, prolong

Near Antonyms of Aggrandize

belittle, decry, depreciate, detract, disparage, minimize, abbreviate, abridge, curtail, shorten, compress, condense, constrict, contract, cut back, retrench

Word Forms of Aggrandize

Inflections: aggrandized, aggrandizing

Derived words: aggrandizement (noun), aggrandizer (noun)

Origin & Etymology of Aggrandize

borrowed (with assimilation of the ending to -ize) from French agrandiss-, stem of agrandir, going back to Old French, from a-, verb-forming prefix (going back to Latin ad- ad-) + -grandir, verbal derivative of grand "large, great," going back to Latin grandis "fully grown, large, great" grand:1

First known use: 1634

Vocabulary Lists & Topics for Aggrandize

Frequently Asked Questions about Aggrandize

What does "Aggrandize" mean?

"Aggrandize" means to make great or greater, increase, enlarge. As a verb, it is defined as: to make great or greater, increase, enlarge. It has 2 distinct senses.

What is another word for "Aggrandize"?

Other words for "Aggrandize" include canonize, deify, dignify, elevate, ennoble, enshrine, ensky and enthrone. The best synonym depends on which meaning of "Aggrandize" you intend.

What are different ways to say "Aggrandize"?

There are 76 words and phrases with a similar meaning to "Aggrandize". Common alternatives include canonize, deify, dignify, elevate, ennoble, enshrine, ensky, enthrone, exalt and glorify.

What is the opposite of "Aggrandize"?

Antonyms of "Aggrandize" include abase, degrade, demean, humble, humiliate, abate, decrease and de-escalate. Near antonyms include belittle, decry, depreciate and detract.

How do you use "Aggrandize" in a sentence?

Examples of "Aggrandize" in a sentence: "a movie that aggrandizes the bad guys and makes the cops look like dopes"; "a generous grant, enabling the library to significantly aggrandize its collection".

Is "Aggrandize" a noun, verb, or adjective?

"Aggrandize" is a verb.

Is "Aggrandize" useful for IELTS, TOEFL, and other English exams?

As a C2-level word, "Aggrandize" is typical of Cambridge C2 Proficiency (CPE), IELTS band 8.5–9.0, TOEFL iBT 114–120, PTE Academic 85–90. Advanced words like this are also useful for the GRE, SAT, GMAT, and LSAT.

How do you pronounce "Aggrandize"?

"Aggrandize" is pronounced /ə-ˈgran-ˌdīz/ and divided into syllables as ag·gran·dize.