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intensify fear

[ɪnˈtɛnsɪfaɪ fɪr]
verb phrase
intensificar o medo
1. to make fear stronger or more severe; to increase the degree or intensity of fear
The sudden noise began to intensify fear among the children.
O barulho repentino começou a intensificar o medo entre as crianças.
2. to heighten feelings of anxiety or dread in a person or group
The news report served to intensify fear about the economic crisis.
O relatório de notícias serviu para intensificar o medo sobre a crise econômica.
Synonyms
aggravate fearincrease fearheighten fearamplify fearexacerbate feardeepen fear
Antonyms
alleviate feardiminish fearreduce fearcalm fearease fearmitigate fear

Regional Variations

General Brazilian
intensificar o medo
standard usage across Brazil
Rio de Janeiro
intensificar o medo / aumentar o medo
both expressions commonly used
São Paulo
intensificar o medo
formal and standard usage
Portugal
intensificar o medo / agravar o medo
both expressions used; 'agravar' also common

Related Idioms & Phrases

fan the flames of fear
play on someone's fears
strike fear into someone's heart
raise the stakes of fear
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