maximise
Formsmaximises, maximising, maximised
US spellingmaximize · also used in the UK
- 1To increase something to the greatest amount, size or degree that is possible.
The new layout is designed to maximise the number of seats in the theatre.
By selling directly online, the bakery maximised its profits.
UsageUsually with something you can count or measure as its object: maximise profits, maximise the number of seats.
Note
When the object is a chance or a stretch of time, the word moves towards making full use of something. Maximise is the everyday British spelling; maximize, the Oxford spelling, is equally correct.
- 2To use something, such as time, resources, room or a chance, as fully and as effectively as possible.
Students who want to maximise their time at university should start planning in the first term.
The home side maximised the opportunity, scoring twice while the visitors were down to ten men.
UsageOften maximise your chances of + -ing: maximise your chances of getting a place.
- 3To enlarge a window on a computer so that it fills the main area of the screen.
Maximise the spreadsheet window before you start comparing the columns.
When she maximised the browser, the icons on her desktop disappeared from view.
Note
On most desktops the command is a button in a window's title bar, sitting beside the ones that minimise and close it, and a second click restores the window to its earlier size. A maximised window usually leaves the taskbar or menu bar in view. That is what usually separates it from full-screen mode, which normally hides those controls too.
Checked 5 Nov 2026 · 4 facts
- Desktop windows commonly have a maximise button alongside the minimise and close controls in the title bar. learn.microsoft.com
- Clicking the control again restores the previous window size. learn.microsoft.com
- Maximising usually leaves desktop controls such as the taskbar visible. learn.microsoft.com
- This is a usual distinction, not an absolute one: macOS allows the menu bar to remain visible in full-screen mode. support.apple.com
Practice
Can you tell the meanings of maximise apart? Answer 3 quick questions from this page, or write your own sentence and AI will check it.
Origin
Formed from Latin maximus with the verb-forming suffix -ise (also spelt -ize).
Checked 5 Nov 2026 · 3 facts
- Maximise is formed from Latin maximus with the English suffix -ise/-ize. en.wiktionary.org
- The suffix forms verbs. en.wiktionary.org
- -ise and -ize are alternative forms of the suffix. en.wiktionary.org