Meaning & use
to augment
Last updated
Meanings
verbtransitiveformal
To make something larger by adding to it, especially in amount, size, or value.
Grammar: Takes a direct object: augment something.
Patterns
- augment something
- augment something with something
The company decided to augment its staff with temporary workers.
He augmented his income by teaching evening classes.
The research team augmented the data with additional surveys.
verbtransitiveformal
To increase the effectiveness or intensity of something by adding to it.
Grammar: Often used with abstract nouns like 'power', 'effect', or 'capacity'.
Patterns
- augment something
- augment something by something
The new software augments the system's security features.
Regular exercise can augment the benefits of a healthy diet.
Word forms
| third person singular | augments |
|---|---|
| past tense | augmented |
| past participle | augmented |
| -ing form | augmenting |
Common combinations
- augment income
- She took a second job to augment her income.
- augment with
- They augmented the meal with fresh vegetables from the garden.
- augment capacity
- The factory augmented its production capacity by installing new machines.
- augment reality
- The app augments reality by overlaying information on the camera view.
Synonyms and how they differ
- increase
- More general and common; 'augment' is more formal and often implies adding something extra.
- supplement
- Focuses on adding something to complete or improve; 'augment' emphasizes making larger.
- enhance
- Often about improving quality or value, while 'augment' is about increasing size or amount.
Opposites
Word family
- augmentation noun
- The act of making something larger or adding to it.
- augmented adjective
- Made larger or improved by adding something.
Commonly confused: to augment or argument?
to augment vs argument
A different word meaning a disagreement or a reason; 'augment' is a verb meaning to increase.
Practice
The team decided to ___ the report with more recent statistics.
Choose one answer.
After 'to' we need the base form of the verb, so 'augment' is correct. 'Augmenting' is a gerund and would need a different structure, 'augments' is third person singular, and 'argument' is a noun.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “to augment”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.