augment
Americanverb (used with object)
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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)
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:
None of them augment it with their own.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 6, 2026
"The gene-therapy approach in this study is a new avenue that can complement and potentially augment what will surely be a multi-disciplinary solution to one day regenerate human limbs."
From Science Daily ● May 9, 2026
It will use AI to “streamline data synthesis, elevate situational understanding, and augment warfighter decision-making in complex operational environments.”
From Barron's ● May 1, 2026
If Washington imposed a 10% transaction fee on those bets, we would have about $40 billion to augment national investments in basic research, defense, life science and energy technology.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Apr. 23, 2026
To augment the small income from the service station, C.P. got a job as an unskilled maintenance worker at Duke University.
From "The Best of Enemies" by Osha Gray Davidson
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
In other words, will AI be a force that replaces labor, or augments it?
From MarketWatch ● May 18, 2026
But if AI primarily augments tasks rather than replaces jobs, this approach misses the mark.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jan. 28, 2026
Villavicencio said she augments her benefits by collecting donated food at her son’s school twice a month.
From Los Angeles Times ● Nov. 8, 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
Some jobs will be automated, others will be "augmented".
From BBC ● Jul. 21, 2026
Smart glasses are becoming more popular as augmented reality and artificial intelligence tech becomes more advanced.
From Barron's ● Jun. 23, 2026
“The smartphone put our lives in our pockets, but augmented reality puts computing into the world where life actually happens, and that is the shift from phones to Specs,” Spiegel said.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 16, 2026
Certain jurisdictions may give the surviving spouse a right of up to 50% of the value of the marital-property portion of the augmented estate.
From MarketWatch ● Apr. 30, 2026
Are you surprised that the augmented fourth and diminished fifth sound the same?
From "Understanding Basic Music Theory" by Catherine Schmidt-Jones and Russel Jones
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
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
“That is our job to ensure that we’re providing that 911 service ongoing, on top of pre-deploying, augmenting and still responding to the Palisades fire.”
From Los Angeles Times ● Jan. 20, 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.
