Standard Lemma guide

intensify

verb · 6 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.

  • /ɪnˈtɛnsɪfaɪ/
  • Southern-England: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
  • CMU ARPABET: IH0 N T EH1 N S AH0 F AY2 Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.

1

verb

Meaning 1

To render more intense.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: transitive

Examples

  • to intensify the heat or cold
  • to intensify colors
  • to intensify a photographic negative
  • to intensify animosity

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

2

verb

Meaning 2

To become intense, or more intense; to act with increasing power or energy.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: intransitive

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

3

verb

Meaning 3

become more intense

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • The debate intensified
  • His dislike for raw fish only deepened in Japan

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: deepen

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: increase

Narrower terms: build, redouble, erupt, irrupt, flare up, flare, break open, burst out, condense, sharpen, accelerate, speed up, speed, quicken

4

verb

Meaning 4

make more intense, stronger, or more marked,

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • The efforts were intensified
  • Her rudeness intensified his dislike for her
  • Pot smokers claim it heightens their awareness
  • This event only deepened my convictions

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: compound, heighten, deepen

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: increase

Narrower terms: heat up, hot up, screw up, fan, enhance, heighten, raise, amplify, sharpen

5

verb

Meaning 5

increase in extent or intensity

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • The Allies escalated the bombing

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: escalate, step up

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: increase

Narrower terms: redouble

6

verb

Meaning 6

make the chemically affected part of (a negative) denser or more opaque in order produce a stronger contrast between light and dark

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: change, alter, modify

History

Etymology

From intense + -ify. Compare French intensifier.

Across languages

Translations

41 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Basque: biziagotu — to render more intense
  • Bulgarian: усилвам (usilvam) — to render more intense
  • Bulgarian: засилвам (zasilvam) — to render more intense
  • Catalan: intensificar — to render more intense
  • Chinese Mandarin: 加劇 /加剧 (jiājù) — to render more intense
  • Danish: intensivere — to render more intense
  • Dutch: intensiveren — to render more intense
  • Dutch: verhevigen — to render more intense
  • Esperanto: akrigi — to render more intense
  • French: intensifier — to render more intense
  • German: intensifizieren — to render more intense
  • German: intensivieren — to render more intense
  • Hungarian: fokoz — to render more intense
  • Irish: géaraigh — to render more intense
  • Irish: neartaigh — to render more intense
  • Italian: intensificare — to render more intense
  • Korean: 강화시키다 (ganghwasikida) — to render more intense
  • Māori: whakamarohi — to render more intense
  • Polish: intensyfikować — to render more intense
  • Portuguese: intensificar — to render more intense
  • Romanian: intensifica — to render more intense
  • Russian: интенсифици́ровать (intensificírovatʹ) — to render more intense
  • Spanish: intensificar — to render more intense
  • Swedish: intensifiera — to render more intense
  • Tagalog: tindihan — to render more intense
  • Turkish: yoğunlaşmak — to render more intense
  • Turkish: yoğunlaştırmak — to render more intense
  • Ukrainian: інтенсифікува́ти (intensyfikuváty) — to render more intense
  • Bulgarian: усилвам се (usilvam se) — to become more intense
  • Bulgarian: засилвам се (zasilvam se) — to become more intense
  • Dutch: verhevigen — to become more intense
  • French: intensifier — to become more intense
  • French: s'intensifier — to become more intense
  • Greek: εντατικοποιώ (entatikopoió) — to become more intense
  • Greek: εντείνω (enteíno) — to become more intense
  • Greek: επιτείνω (epiteíno) — to become more intense
  • Irish: géaraigh — to become more intense
  • Portuguese: intensificar-se — to become more intense
  • Spanish: arreciar — to become more intense
  • Swedish: intensifieras — to become more intense
  • Tagalog: tumindi — to become more intense