magnify

/ˈmæɡnəfaɪ/
verb
  1. To make something look bigger than it really is, especially using a lens or microscope.
    • You can magnify the text on your screen by clicking this icon.
    • The scientist used a microscope to magnify the tiny cells.
    • A magnifying glass can magnify small print so it is easier to read.
  2. To make something seem more important, serious, or extreme than it really is.
    • Don't magnify your mistakes; everyone makes them sometimes.
    • His anxiety magnified the difficulty of the test in his mind.
    • The media often magnify small problems into major scandals.
  3. To increase the size, volume, or intensity of something.
    • Using a projector can magnify the image so the whole audience can see it.
    • The curved walls of the canyon magnified the echo of our voices.
    • The amplifier magnifies the sound of the guitar.