make as big as possible

maximize

verb|/ˈmæk.sə.maɪz/

Increase something to the greatest possible amount or degree

Examples

In a meeting

Let's maximize our return on this investment by targeting the right audience.

Over coffee

I want to maximize my vacation days by taking them around holidays.

Why this word

increase

maximize means to make as large as possible, while increase simply means to make greater without implying maximum

optimize

maximize emphasizes achieving the greatest amount, while optimize means to make most effective, which may not be the maximum

enhance

maximize means to achieve the maximum possible, while enhance means to improve quality without necessarily reaching limits

Usage tip

Use when focusing on getting the most benefit or output from something

Etymology

Latin: maximus (greatest)

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