aggrandize
/əˈɡɹændaɪ̯z/
"aggrandize" is a 10-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.
The verdict
“aggrandize” is outside the top-ranked English vocabulary, used as a verb - the kind of word writers most often double-check.
- Unranked
- below top-frequency English
- 10
- letters
According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - To make great; to enlarge; to increase.
| Property | Value |
|---|---|
| Headword | aggrandize |
| Language | English |
| Part of speech | Verb |
| IPA | /əˈɡɹændaɪ̯z/ |
| Letters | 10 |
| Misspellings tracked | 0 |
| Confusable pairs | 0 |
| Source | Wiktionary (kaikki.org) |
Where “aggrandize” sits in English frequency
Spelling & Dictionary Insight
The English entry for aggrandize is 10 letters long, classified as a verb, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as /əˈɡɹændaɪ̯z/. It sits outside the most-frequent rank tiers, which is often why uncommon words generate more spelling variants per reader. Wiktionary records 4 distinct senses for this headword, so context determines which meaning a reader should apply.
Zero misspellings are on record for aggrandize in our index, which points to an orthography that plays by predictable English rules. It is not paired with a close-neighbour confusable in our dataset, which usually means its spelling is distinct enough that readers don't reach for a similar-looking word instead.
Etymologically, the entry records: From French agrandir. The correct English form is aggrandize, spelled A-G-G-R-A-N-D-I-Z-E.
Definition
- 1To make great; to enlarge; to increase.
- 2To make great or greater in power, rank, honor, or wealth (applied to persons, countries, etc.).
- 3To make appear great or greater; to exalt.
- 4To increase or become great.
Etymology
From French agrandir.
Antonyms
This word in other languages
Definitions, pronunciation, and etymology for this entry are drawn from Wiktionary via the kaikki.org structured extract (CC BY-SA). See the methodology for how each field is sourced and updated.
Frequently Asked Questions
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Using “aggrandize”
The practical upshot for anyone who landed here from a spell-check.
- The one correct English spelling is A-G-G-R-A-N-D-I-Z-E - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
- Say it as /əˈɡɹændaɪ̯z/ (IPA); tap the speaker on the pronunciation badge to hear it where audio exists.
- Browse more English words and confusable pairs in the same reference. English words
Data Source
Wiktionary (via kaikki.org), licensed under CC BY-SA & GFDL. Word ordering uses an open word-frequency list; misspelling variants are generated by edit-distance from the correct headword.