Loudens

Part of speech: verb

Definitions

1. To increase the volume of sound to a more noticeable level
2. to cause something to become more intense or forceful in its auditory presence
3. to make a sound more pronounced or easily heard by raising its amplitude

Etymology: "Loudens" is the third-person singular form of "louden," which means to make something louder. "Louden" is formed from "loud" plus the suffix "-en," the same ending found in verbs like "widen," "soften," and "darken," which turn an adjective into a verb meaning to become or make more of that quality. The suffix carries the whole job here. "Loud" itself is an Old English adjective, and attaching "-en" simply produces a verb for intensifying the quality it names. So "loudens" describes the act of turning up a sound, whether a speaker, a radio, or a voice, until it reaches a more noticeable level.

Synonyms: amplifies, intensifies, strengthens, increases volume, raises

Antonyms: softens, quietens, diminishes, lowers