aggrandize
UK: əˈɡrændaɪz | US: əˈɡrændaɪz
vt. to increase the power, wealth, or status of someone or something
vt. to exaggerate or make something appear greater than it is
The word "aggrandize" originates from the French agrandiss-, the stem of agrandir ("to enlarge"), which itself derives from Latin ad- ("to") + grandis ("large, great"). The suffix -ize was added in English to form a verb. The morpheme "ag" (a variant of "ad-") implies direction or intensification, while "grand" retains its core meaning of greatness. Over time, the word evolved to encompass both literal enlargement (e.g., power) and figurative exaggeration.
The king sought to aggrandize his empire by conquering neighboring lands.
Critics accused the politician of aggrandizing his achievements in the speech.
The company's aggressive marketing campaign aimed to aggrandize its market share.
Some historians argue that the biography aggrandizes the subject's role in the event.
Wealth alone cannot aggrandize a person's character or wisdom.