Aggrandising

Part of speech: verb

Definitions

1. Increasing the importance, power, or status of something by adding to it
2. Enhancing or amplifying the perceived value or influence of a person or thing
3. Promoting or expanding the scope or reputation of something to make it seem more significant

Etymology: "Aggrandising" is the present participle of "aggrandise", so its history is that of the verb it comes from. That verb descends from French "agrandir", meaning "to enlarge", which was itself formed from "grand", "large" or "great". English took the root through the French, and the core idea never changed: to make something bigger or greater than it was. What makes the verb interesting is how its sense narrowed. Its earliest English uses were largely literal, about enlarging physical things or increasing power, rank or wealth. Over time it took on the notion of inflating something beyond its real worth, so that a person might aggrandise their own importance or a company might aggrandise its achievements. The current meaning, promoting something to make it seem more significant, grows out of that shift from increasing size to exaggerating standing.

Synonyms: exaggerating, enhancing

Antonyms: diminishing, devaluing