intensify
/ɪnˈtɛn.sɪ.faɪ/- 1.
To make something stronger, more extreme, or more serious. You use this when a person, group, or event causes something to grow in force or degree.
- The government intensified its efforts to reduce pollution.
- Heavy rain intensified the flooding in low-lying areas.
- Competition between the two companies intensified last year.
- 2.
To become stronger or more extreme on its own, without an external cause being mentioned. This is the intransitive use — no object is needed.
- The storm intensified as it moved toward the coast.
- Her anxiety intensified the night before the exam.
Adinary Nuance
Intensify sits in a cluster of verbs that all mean "to make something stronger," but each has a different sweet spot. Escalate implies a step-by-step rise, usually in something negative like a conflict or price — it suggests stages, not just degree. Heighten pairs most naturally with emotions and awareness ("heighten tension," "heighten awareness") and sounds slightly more literary. Amplify works best with sound, voice, or a specific signal, and in modern usage with ideas or messages being spread wider. Intensify is the most versatile of the group: it works across physical events (storms, heat), human actions (efforts, pressure), and emotions alike, and it fits both formal academic writing and everyday news language equally well.
In other languages
- Vietnamese
- Tăng cường
- Spanish
- Intensificar
- Chinese
- 加剧
- Japanese
- 強化する
- Korean
- 강화하다
Etymology
From Latin "intensus" (stretched, strained), the past participle of "intendere," combined with the English suffix "-ify" (meaning "to make"). The verb entered English in the early 19th century.
Common phrases
Synonyms
Related words
Frequently asked questions
- Is 'intensify' a formal word? Can I use it in IELTS writing?
- Yes, 'intensify' is a mid-to-high formality verb and is excellent for IELTS Academic Writing. It is common in Task 2 essays and fits naturally in academic and journalistic contexts.
- What is the difference between 'intensify' and 'escalate'?
- 'Escalate' suggests a step-by-step rise, often in a conflict or crisis, and almost always implies something getting worse. 'Intensify' is broader — it just means becoming stronger or more extreme, and can be neutral (e.g., 'efforts intensified').
- Can 'intensify' be used without an object?
- Yes. 'Intensify' can be transitive ('They intensified the search') or intransitive ('The search intensified'). Both are correct and natural in English.
- What are common collocations with 'intensify'?
- Common collocations include: intensify efforts, intensify pressure, intensify competition, intensify scrutiny, and the storm/conflict/crisis intensified.