1. to make something appear larger than it actually is, especially by using a lens or microscope
2. to make something seem more important or serious than it really is
3. to increase the size, extent, or intensity of something

Examples

• The microscope can magnify bacteria up to 1000 times their actual size.
• This magnifying glass will help you read the small print.
• Don’t magnify the problem – it’s not as serious as you think.
• The media tends to magnify celebrity scandals.
• The telescope magnifies distant stars so we can observe them clearly.
• She has a tendency to magnify every minor setback into a major crisis.
• The lens magnifies the text on the page for easier reading.