# heightening

Pronunciation: say "HY-tuh-ning" /ˈhaɪtənɪŋ/

## Noun

1. The act by which something is made more intense, greater, or more pronounced.
   - Simple: The act of making something stronger, greater, or more intense.
   - _The heightening of public anxiety followed weeks of conflicting reports._
   - _Directors rely on a gradual heightening of suspense to keep audiences engaged._

## Verb

2. Present participle of heighten. — present participle and gerund of heighten
   - Simple: Present participle of heighten. Use this -ing form when the action is happening now.
   - _The new evidence is heightening concerns about the project's safety._
   - _Years of drought are heightening competition for water in the valley._

Source: DictionaryAI, https://dictionaryai.com/define/heightening (written from Wiktionary data, CC BY-SA 4.0: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/).