Word
intensify
Meanings
To make something stronger, more extreme, or more serious.
To increase the strength of a feeling, reaction, or atmosphere.
Definition
To intensify something is to make it stronger, more extreme, or more serious.
To intensify means to increase the strength, level, or force of something. It is often used for feelings, efforts, conflicts, and natural phenomena like storms or heat. You can intensify something intentionally (for example, a campaign) or describe a change that happens on its own (for example, a storm that grows stronger).
Examples
- As the deadline approached, the team decided to intensify its testing to avoid last-minute surprises.
- When the wind shifted suddenly, the wildfire began to intensify and spread toward the hillside.
- She tried to stay calm, but the constant interruptions only seemed to intensify her frustration.
- They intensified their campaign after the initial message failed to reach younger voters.
Common mistake
Learners often confuse intensify with intensify on and say "intensify on something" instead of "intensify something" or "intensify efforts to do something."
More at C1 level
- ubiquitous Present, appearing, or found everywhere at the same time.
- xenophobia Xenophobia is a strong dislike or fear of people from other countries or cultures.
- genocide Genocide is the deliberate killing of a large number of people from a particular group in order to …
- conundrum A conundrum is a confusing and difficult problem to solve.
- pretentious Trying to seem more important, intelligent, or cultured than you really are.
More verbs
- analyze To examine something carefully in order to understand it or explain it.
- scrutinize To scrutinize something is to examine it very carefully and in detail.
- affect To affect something is to influence it or cause it to change.
- allude To allude means to mention or suggest something indirectly without saying it clearly.
- elude To elude someone or something is to avoid being caught, understood, or remembered.