Definitions

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.

  • verb transitive To make great; to enlarge; to increase; as, to aggrandise our conceptions, authority, distress.
  • verb transitive To make great or greater in power, rank, honour or wealth; applied to persons, countries, etc.
  • verb transitive To make appear great or greater; to exalt.
  • verb intransitive To increase or become great.

from WordNet 3.0 Copyright 2006 by Princeton University. All rights reserved.

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Etymologies

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Examples

  • I am totally unconvinced that these people understand or embrace anything, but are too often just looking to self-aggrandise and self-publicise their way to their personal nirvana.

    I’m Here For An Argument. No You’re Not! Yes I am! « POLICE INSPECTOR BLOG Inspector Gadget 2010

  • These people work for us, no need to aggrandise or slight them.

    Reid Endorses July 1 Ultimatum For Super-Delegates 2009

  • In the former cases he has never failed to make a joke about "no heckling" and self aggrandise about his armed Special Branch officers.

    Auto Cue Geddon: Idea Whose Time Has Passed? 2008

  • I'm sure every creative innovator has moments of terrible self doubt says she, attempting to aggrandise a very unimportant issue.

    And it's Friday again already... Imogen 2008

  • In the former cases he has never failed to make a joke about "no heckling" and self aggrandise about his armed Special Branch officers.

    Archive 2008-02-10 2008

  • They were futures that we could not see the day we coined the phrase but human greed is still no lesser predator, seeking prey – aching to aggrandise and legitimate its selfish ways.

    Futures Ivan Donn Carswell 2008

  • I'm sure every creative innovator has moments of terrible self doubt says she, attempting to aggrandise a very unimportant issue.

    Archive 2008-10-01 Imogen 2008

  • Build up and aggrandise your city, for in so doing you will gird on power like a garment, and win allies for her. 209

    Hiero 2007

  • This was the device decided upon by the founders of the US Republic to keep the Executive, with its inherent tendency to aggrandise its power at the cost of the other branches of government, and not least the people, honest.

    Interview With John Conyers, on Impeachment and Investigating Bush 2007

  • Here Olberman told the truth, and did not aggrandise himself in the process, indeed saying that ESPN were right to fire him.

    Think Progress » President Bush is “ticked off big-time” 2006

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