Word Pronunciation & Dictionary

aggrandize

/əˈɡɹændaɪ̯z/

Word Rarity Very rare

Frequency: 1.52 in modern English

Syllables: ag-gran-dize
IPA: /əˈɡɹændaɪ̯z/

22

Scrabble Score

10

Letters

3

Syllables

8

Unique Chars

Meaning

verb

To make great; to enlarge; to increase.

Transitive verb

verb

To make great or greater in power, rank, honor, or wealth (applied to persons, countries, etc.).

Transitive verb

verb

To make appear great or greater; to exalt.

Formal; Transitive verb

verb

To increase or become great.

Intransitive verb

Example Sentences

"to aggrandize one's authority, distress"
"[They] doe adde vnto the bitternesse of that Day, and agrandise the heauie weight of trouble."
"In Heroic Verſe, but eſpecially in the grander Lyrics, there are ſometimes ſuch noble Elevations of Thought and Paſſion as illuminate all Things around us, and convey to the Soul moſt exalted and magnificent Images and ſublime Sentiments: Theſe furniſh us with glorious Springs and Mediums to raiſe and aggrandize our Conceptions, […]"
"[…] on so small a scale, it would be impossible to give an adequate idea of a grand scene. […] Were it painted indeed with exactness on a pane of glass in a window, and the eye brought to it, under the deception of it’s being a real view; the imagination might aggrandize it."
"[…] the relations of ideas to power may assume infinite variations. The tendency may be to aggrandize power at all cost, to aggrandize power but to calculate soberly the risks involved, to conserve existing power, or even to yield power."
"[…] the aggrandizing of your estate by well managed fortune […] may well set out your praises to the world […]"

Etymology

Etymology tree French a- Proto-Italic *grandis Latin grandis Old French grant Middle French grand French grand Proto-Italic *-jezi ▲ Latin -ereinflu. Latin -īre French -ir French agrandirbor. English ag- English grand Proto-Indo-European *-id- Proto-Indo-European *-yéti Proto-Indo-European *-idyéti Proto-Hellenic *-íd͏̌d͏̌ō Ancient Greek -ῐ́ζω (-ĭ́zō)bor. Late Latin -izōder. Middle French -iserbor. Middle English -isen English -ize English aggrandize From French agrandir. By surface analysis, ag- + grand + -ize.

Origin

Source language: French

Word Breakdown

Root: agrandir

Usage

Inflected Forms

aggrandizes (present, singular) aggrandizing (participle, present) aggrandized (participle, past) aggrandized (past) aggrandise (alternative)

Derived Forms

aggrandizable aggrandization aggrandizement aggrandizer overaggrandize unaggrandized unaggrandizing

Phrases

self-aggrandize self-aggrandizement self-aggrandizing

Frequently Paired Words

engrandize ingrandize

Synonyms

embiggen greaten grow elevate empower ennoble extol laud praise aggrandize applaud enthrone

Antonyms

demean

Rhymes With

propagandize

Questions

How do you pronounce aggrandize?: The recorded pronunciation is /əˈɡɹændaɪ̯z/.
What does aggrandize mean?: To make great; to enlarge; to increase.
Where does aggrandize come from?: It is traced to French.

How to pronounce aggrandize

Open the pronunciation page — Open the Speakur entry for “aggrandize”.
Read the phonetic spelling — Read the IPA spelling (/əˈɡɹændaɪ̯z/) so you know which sounds to aim for.
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