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:
“All this underpins my conviction that we are better positioned than ever to win in the long run, leveraging AI to augment the strengths of the L’Oreal model,” Hieronimus said.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 22, 2026
The Rams moved to augment their struggling special teams on Tuesday, signing veteran kicker Brandon McManus.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 20, 2026
One of us worked side-by-side with Fed officials for a number of years on ways to augment the dot plot.
From MarketWatch ● Oct. 16, 2026
"This suggests that repurposing medications that augment the function of dopamine-releasing neurons, including dopamine precursors and inhibitors of dopamine metabolism, could be a promising approach."
From Science Daily ● Sep. 22, 2026
Many of the chemical agents in this alarming melange imitate and augment the harmful effects of radiation, and within the groups of chemicals themselves there are sinister and little-understood interactions, transformations, and summations of effect.
From "Silent Spring" by Rachel Carson
Curated by Hever’s Alison Palmer, Owen Emmerson and Kate McCaffrey, this extraordinary exhibition augments Hever’s “Rose Portrait” of Anne with personal objects and 37 other depictions, including 14 oil portraits on loan.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 22, 2026
In other words, will AI be a force that replaces labor, or augments it?
From MarketWatch ● May 18, 2026
Novo’s cautious C-suite was ready to target Type 2 diabetes—an obvious choice, as GLP-1 augments insulin secretion.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Nov. 28, 2025
The live aspect of theater augments that feeling of destructive loss.
From Los Angeles Times ● Nov. 10, 2025
“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
To investigate how these changes occur, the research team developed an unusual experimental setup that combined augmented reality with real-time brain imaging.
From Science Daily ● Nov. 3, 2026
Velshi’s on-air analysis will be augmented by an additional feed called VelshiCast, a behind-the-scenes look that will stream on MS NOW’s YouTube channel.
From Salon ● Nov. 2, 2026
In “Then When,” a sharp rhythm, drummed on the strings, is augmented by percussive hits on different parts of the case, yielding a variety of timbres, and a plucked riff is repeated a few times.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 26, 2026
The urban aesthetic was augmented with a bluesy, funky score by composer Jim Lang, inspired by Thelonious Monk, Vince Guaraldi and Beck.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 7, 2026
The little I made was augmented by help from Aunt Bushy and Uncle Piet.
From "Kaffir Boy: An Autobiography" by Mark Mathabane
In an interview with AFP last month, Banga said the private capital should be seen as augmenting, not replacing, development financing and that it is needed to address the developing world's vast financial needs.
From Barron's ● Oct. 16, 2026
“We are seeing growing evidence that AI is augmenting workflows rather than cannibalizing them.”
From The Wall Street Journal ● May 20, 2026
Over the past several years, Uber has teamed up with at least 21 companies to work on augmenting its business with autonomous cars, trucks and delivery robots.
From MarketWatch ● Jan. 20, 2026
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
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