- to make or grow larger in size, scope, etc; increase or expand
- (transitive) to make (a photographic print) of a larger size than the negative
- (intransitive; followed by on or upon) to speak or write (about) in greater detail; expatiate (on)
WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2026
en•large /ɛnˈlɑrdʒ/USA pronunciation
v., -larged, -larg•ing.
en•larg•er, n. [countable]
WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2026- to (cause to) become larger;
add (to): [no object]That photograph will not enlarge well.[~ + object]to enlarge images 50 times the original size. - to add more information:[~ + on/upon + object]The lecturer enlarged upon her topic.
en•larg•er, n. [countable]
en•large
(en lärj′),USA pronunciation v., -larged, -larg•ing.
v.t.
v.i.
en•large′a•ble, adj.
en•larg•ed•ly
(en lär′jid lē, -lärjd′-),USA pronunciation adv.
en•larg′ed•ness, n.
en•larg′ing•ly, adv.
v.t.
- to make larger; increase in extent, bulk, or quantity;
add to:They enlarged the house by adding an east wing. - to increase the capacity or scope of;
expand:We've decided to enlarge the company. - Photographyto make (a photographic print) larger than the negative by projecting the negative's image through a lens onto photographic printing paper.
v.i.
- to grow larger;
increase;
expand. - to speak or write at large;
expatiate:to enlarge upon a point.
- Old French enlargir, enlarger. See en-1, large
- Middle English enlargen 1350–1400
en•larg′ing•ly, adv.
- 1. extend, magnify, amplify, dilate. See increase.
- 1. diminish. 2. contract.
Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::
enlarge /ɪnˈlɑːdʒ/ vb
'enlarged' also found in these entries (note: many are not synonyms or translations):
Achaea
- adenoidal
- adenoids
- anthrax
- Autocue
- blow up
- Brocken
- burnet
- countersink
- emphysema
- enlargement
- enlarger
- erection
- exaggerated
- fiddler crab
- flying fish
- flying gurnard
- glanders
- grain
- Hartlepool
- loom
- magnifying glass
- Odisha
- overhead projector
- phantom pregnancy
- pome
- projector
- ray
- receptacle
- rehoboam
- saiga
- Sault Sainte Marie
- screen
- stomach
- subminiature camera
- swollen
- syconium
- Teleprompter
- Thutmose I
- toxoplasmosis
- tumid
- walrus
- Walton
- adenoid
- ampliate
- anthocarpous
- bacterial endocarditis
- bell
- bells of Ireland
- blow