augment
Americanverb (used with object)
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augments,
present (3rd person singular)
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augmented,
past participle, past
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augmenting
present participle
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to make larger; enlarge in size, number, strength, or extent; increase.
His salary is augmented by a small inheritance.
- Synonyms:
- swell
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Music.
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to raise (the upper note of an interval or chord) by a half step.
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to double the note values of (a theme).
In the fugue's development the subject is augmented.
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Grammar. to add an augment to.
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Heraldry. to grant an augmentation to (a coat of arms).
verb (used without object)
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augments,
present (3rd person singular)
-
augmented,
past participle, past
-
augmenting
present participle
noun
verb
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to make or become greater in number, amount, strength, etc; increase
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(tr) music to increase (a major or perfect interval) by a semitone Compare diminish
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(tr) (in Greek and Sanskrit grammar) to prefix a vowel or diphthong to (a verb) to form a past tense
noun
Usage
What does augment mean? To augment something is to add to it in a way that makes it bigger or better. The general sense of augment is used in a variety of contexts where something is literally or figuratively increased in size, number, shape, value, or in some other way. A person might augment their salary with an additional source of income. A material like metal might be augmented to make it stronger. A teacher might augment a course’s textbook with additional learning materials. The noun augmentation refers to the process of augmenting something or the thing that augments. Things that augment or things that are intended to augment can be described as augmentative. A machine or device can be described as augmentable when other parts can be added to it to improve it in some way or give it additional functionality. Augment is also used in much more specific ways in the context of music and grammar, but its general sense is much more commonly used. Example: We recently augmented our nonfiction collection with many new titles by authors from marginalized communities.
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
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augmentsimple
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augmentssimple
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have augmentedperfect
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has augmentedperfect
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am augmentingprogressive
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are augmentingprogressive
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is augmentingprogressive
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have been augmentingperfect progressive
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has been augmentingperfect progressive
Past
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augmentedsimple
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had augmentedperfect
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was augmentingprogressive
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were augmentingprogressive
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had been augmentingperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of augment
First recorded in 1375–1475; late Middle English au(g)menten, from Anglo-French, Middle French au(g)menter, from Late Latin augmentāre “to increase,” derivative of augmentum “an increase,” from aug(ēre) “to increase” (akin to eke 1 ) + -mentum -ment )
Explanation
Do you need to make something bigger, better, or stronger? Then you need to augment it. To augment is to increase the amount or strength of something. Maybe your bike isn't getting around very well on hills: the bike needs to be augmented with a better set of tires. People augment their computers and phones all the time, adding new gadgets and apps. They augment the storage space in their cars by buying roof racks. If the President decides to augment taxes, taxes are going up. When you see the word augment, think "More!"
Vocabulary lists containing augment
100 SAT Words Beginning with "A"
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The Tragedy of Macbeth
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"The Tragedy of Romeo and Juliet," Vocabulary from Act 1
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
See Examples For:
Exactly how much diesel those trucks are already displacing depends on how far they are driven, and whether they augment or replace existing vehicle fleets.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 3, 2026
Teleperformance, the world's largest call centre operator and one of the Philippines' biggest private employers, has said AI offers an opportunity to augment rather than replace its workforce.
From BBC ● Aug. 4, 2026
"This study follows our recent development of the drug candidate GHP-88310. It demonstrates that the drug is suitable to augment traditional ring vaccination against measles."
From Science Daily ● Jul. 24, 2026
The Santa Barbara County Fire Department was working Tuesday to get approval from the state to augment staffing and pre-deploy resources, said Mike Gray, a public information officer.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 15, 2026
Kendra pressed her hands over her ears, trying to augment the dampening power of the earplugs.
From "Fablehaven" by Brandon Mull
Despite the market’s concerns about the longevity of the current chip boom, Samsung still forecasts a major supply-demand deficit to persist into 2027, as growth in agentic AI augments the huge buildout of AI infrastructure.
From MarketWatch ● Jul. 30, 2026
The assets complement OCBC’s Indonesia franchise, particularly in wealth management, which is attractive in a low-interest-rate environment as it augments recurring income to cushion earnings as Singapore banks face NIM compression.
From The Wall Street Journal ● May 5, 2026
In a funky rendition of “Oh Happy Day,” for instance, the director augments the Sweet Inspirations’ original backing vocals with the newly recorded voices of a gospel choir from Nashville.
From Los Angeles Times ● Feb. 24, 2026
But if AI primarily augments tasks rather than replaces jobs, this approach misses the mark.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jan. 28, 2026
“That’s amazing. My mother says they’re superhuman. Their second operation augments all their muscles and rewires their nervous system. And they’re so scary-looking, a lot of people just panic the first time they see one.”
From "Uglies" by Scott Westerfeld
Adapted for TV: There will be the use of augmented reality, athlete headshots, win probabilities and projected finishing positions to develop viewer experience.
From BBC ● Sep. 11, 2026
On TV, augmented reality was used to display athlete headshots, win probabilities and projected finishing positions for each event.
From BBC ● Sep. 11, 2026
This journal, which is eventually augmented by the daughter, makes up the book we are reading.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 21, 2026
Earlier this month, Snap, the maker of social media app Snapchat, announced its own new generation of smart glasses, called Specs, which will provide an augmented reality experience beyond what Meta offers.
From Barron's ● Jun. 23, 2026
Listen closely to an augmented triad8 and a diminished triad9 .
From "Understanding Basic Music Theory" by Catherine Schmidt-Jones and Russel Jones
Preservation was part of the conversation when the two connected, but both were also focused on revitalization and augmenting the structure’s old-world charms with something fresh and modern.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jan. 28, 2026
Lewenstein believes AI’s true promise lies in augmenting, not automating, human capabilities.
From MarketWatch ● Dec. 29, 2025
Robotaxi companies are augmenting the real-world videos with training in simulated scenarios that help robotaxis deal with once-in-a-blue-moon cases, said Wang, the Pony AI executive.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Nov. 8, 2025
Blessedly, Season 3 makes room for glimpses into the locals’ lives beyond the hotel, augmenting the personal stakes for workers beyond the usual administrative staff whose prickliness co-stars in previous seasons.
From Salon ● Feb. 16, 2025
Diminishing and augmenting chords Wagner may have made his own, but they are all over Liszt’s daring, dark harmony.
From "The Story of Music" by Howard Goodall
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
