heighten, rise: become more extreme; "The tension heightened" heighten: make more extreme; raise in quantity, degree, or intensity; "heightened interest" enhance, heighten, raise: increase; "This will enhance your enjoyment"; "heighten the tension" heighten: increase the height of; "The athletes kept jumping over the steadily heightened bars" sharpen, heighten: make (one's senses) more acute; "This drug will sharpen your vision" intensify, compound, heighten, deepen: make more intense, stronger, or more marked; "The efforts were intensified", "Her rudeness intensified his dislike for her"; "Potsmokers claim it heightens their awareness"; "This event only deepened my convictions"