intensify
B2Formal to neutral; common in academic, technical, journalistic, and everyday contexts.
Definition
Meaning
To make something stronger or more extreme; to increase in degree, force, or magnitude.
To become more intense or concentrated; to heighten the emotional, visual, or sensory impact of something.
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
Often implies a gradual or deliberate process of increasing strength, pressure, or focus. Can refer to physical phenomena (light, heat), emotions, efforts, or conflicts.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No significant difference in core meaning. Slight preference for 'intensify' in formal UK contexts where 'step up' might be used in US informal speech.
Connotations
In both varieties, carries connotations of escalation, often with a sense of urgency or seriousness.
Frequency
Slightly more frequent in American English in news media regarding conflicts or storms.
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
[transitive] The government intensified its efforts.[intransitive] The storm intensified overnight.[transitive with object complement] The news intensified her anxiety.Vocabulary
Synonyms
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “Intensify the pressure”
- “Intensify one's gaze”
- “A conflict that intensifies by the hour”
Usage
Context Usage
Business
We must intensify our marketing efforts to gain market share.
Academic
The study shows how feedback loops can intensify climatic effects.
Everyday
The colours really intensify when the sun comes out.
Technical
The reactor uses mirrors to intensify the laser beam.
Examples
By Part of Speech
verb
British English
- The campaign intensified in the final weeks before the vote.
- Management decided to intensify the workload gradually.
American English
- The hurricane is expected to intensify before making landfall.
- We need to intensify our social media presence.
adverb
British English
- N/A (The adverb is 'intensely'. 'Intensifyingly' is non-standard).
American English
- N/A (The adverb is 'intensely'. 'Intensifyingly' is non-standard).
adjective
British English
- N/A (The adjective is 'intense'. 'Intensifying' is a participle adjective: 'an intensifying crisis').
American English
- N/A (The adjective is 'intense'. 'Intensifying' is a participle adjective: 'intensifying scrutiny from regulators').
Examples
By CEFR Level
- The light intensifies when you turn this dial.
- His headache intensified.
- The company plans to intensify its advertising campaign next quarter.
- Competition between the two teams has intensified recently.
- Diplomatic efforts have intensified to resolve the border dispute.
- The colours of the sunset intensified as the clouds cleared.
- The regime's crackdown on dissent intensified following the protests, drawing international condemnation.
- Critics argue the new policy will only serve to intensify existing socioeconomic inequalities.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of a TENnis match that gets more SIFIed (intense + sci-fi) – the competition INTENSIFIES.
Conceptual Metaphor
INTENSITY IS A SUBSTANCE THAT CAN BE ADDED (e.g., 'add intensity'), or A FIRE THAT GROWS (e.g., 'the flames of conflict intensified').
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- Do not confuse with 'усилить' in all contexts. 'Intensify' often implies a process or escalation, while 'усилить' can be a simple one-time increase. Avoid using 'intensify' for simple strengthening of objects.
Common Mistakes
- Using 'intensify' with 'more' (e.g., 'intensify more the pressure' – redundant). Using it for people directly ('He intensified' is rare; usually 'His efforts intensified').
Practice
Quiz
Which sentence uses 'intensify' INCORRECTLY?
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
No, while often used for conflicts or pressure, it can be neutral or positive (e.g., 'intensify colours', 'intensify efforts', 'intensify a flavour').
'Increase' is broader, referring to any growth in size, number, or amount. 'Intensify' specifically implies an increase in strength, degree, force, or concentration, often of an existing quality or activity.
Yes, especially when describing an ongoing process. E.g., 'The pain was intensifying', 'The campaign is intensifying'.
The primary noun form is 'intensification'. 'Intensity' is the noun for the state of being intense, not the act of making intense.