heighten

Psychologically, mirrors heighten self-awareness, and thus prompt people to behave better overall, more in line with ideals.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 29, 2026

Now, however, the counterterrorism director’s role is coming back to light as hostilities roil the Middle East and heighten the risk of attacks in the United States or against American interests or allies overseas.

From Salon ● Apr. 22, 2026

He also reminded Chinese students in the US to "heighten their safety awareness" and "handle US law enforcement actions appropriately".

From BBC ● Apr. 8, 2026

In “An Experiment,” an assistant draws the curtains on the moon to heighten the uplighting from a candle beneath a vase of water that contains a submerged skull.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Mar. 14, 2026

Hunger can heighten perception, but not when combined with extreme fatigue; I suppose all my senses were very much deadened.

From "The Left Hand of Darkness" by Ursula K. Le Guin

But when the pressure heightens and matters boil over between the quartet, Wilde carefully examines the resulting eruption instead of recoiling.

From Salon ● Jul. 5, 2026

Investors are willing to accept such rates because of the volatility of AI shares, which heightens the appeal of the potential stock conversion.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 17, 2026

Experts say cases of invasive meningococcal disease tend to peak in October to November each year, which further heightens the risk for new university students.

From BBC ● Jun. 12, 2026

The effect heightens the romanticism of characters who are no longer lost to us in translation.

From Los Angeles Times ● Apr. 11, 2026

Occasionally also, or in the case of opera throughout, dramatic poetry heightens the emotional effect of its words with music.

From Encyclopaedia Britannica, 11th Edition, Volume 10, Slice 3 "Fenton, Edward" to "Finistere" by Various

When mobile internet shutdowns intensified during heightened security around Russia's Victory Day celebrations in May, he said he saw people struggling to withdraw money to spend at a flower market in central Moscow.

From BBC ● Jul. 18, 2026

While the amplified soundstage is now as huge as the Bowl, attention was increasingly drawn to individuals, heightened by video closeups.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 16, 2026

The FAA said the review is a proactive step and doesn’t reflect a heightened risk.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 15, 2026

Over the coming weeks there would remain a "heightened" police presence in the local area, ACC Longman added.

From BBC ● Jul. 13, 2026

So it was that my generation was born into a decade of heightened conflict.

From "Kaffir Boy: An Autobiography" by Mark Mathabane

The outbreak is still not under control and is taking place in a conflict zone with very mobile populations – heightening the need for a vaccine to help stop the spread of disease.

From BBC ● Jul. 13, 2026

But the Middle East conflict has strained shipping routes through the Strait of Hormuz, a key route for supplies, heightening unease among farmers ahead of the July-October sowing period.

From Barron's ● Jun. 16, 2026

The likelihood of a potentially powerful El Niño taking shape in the Pacific Ocean is rising, heightening concerns that Southern California could be in for an extreme rainy season.

From Los Angeles Times ● May 14, 2026

That in turn is heightening competition over who can use AI to help do more with a lot less, freeing up money to spend on expensive chips.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Apr. 27, 2026

Charity moves toward the fire, the hysteria heightening.

From "Dry" by Neal Shusterman and Jarrod Shusterman