MEANING
To become stronger or make an effect, activity, or feeling stronger.
Use it for
Words that belong together
- intensify pressure
- intensify scrutiny
On the page
Public scrutiny intensified after the documents were released.
Nearby words
Opposite meanings
Word forms
- Base
- intensify
- Past tense
- intensified
- Past participle
- intensified
- Present participle
- intensifying
Full tense & aspect guide
- Present
- intensify
- Present continuous
- am/is/are intensifying
- Present perfect
- have/has intensified
- Present perfect continuous
- have/has been intensifying
- Past
- intensified
- Past continuous
- was/were intensifying
- Past perfect
- had intensified
- Past perfect continuous
- had been intensifying
- Future
- will intensify
- Future continuous
- will be intensifying
- Future perfect
- will have intensified
- Future perfect continuous
- will have been intensifying
Choose the auxiliary that agrees with your subject. These are constructions of one word, not separate entries.
Usage notes
Primary category: academic / formal. Forms: intensify; intensifies; intensified; intensified; intensifying Legacy lexical fields mirror sense 1 only. Use numbered sense fields for all meanings. Established modern English lexical item. No separate regional spelling or grammatical inflection entry. Writing functions: change, causation. Commonness: moderately common. Third-person singular: intensifies.
Practice this word in a sentenceYour margin notes
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