widen

verb

wid·en ˈwī-dᵊn

widened; widening ˈwīd-niŋ

ˈwī-dᵊn-iŋ

Synonyms of widen next

transitive verb

: to increase the width, scope, or extent of

widen a road

widen an investigation

intransitive verb

: to become wide or wider

a widening gap

widener

ˈwīd-nər

ˈwī-dᵊn-ər

noun

Examples of widen in a Sentence

The city is going to widen the road. They plan to widen the investigation. Her eyes widened in surprise. They went swimming at a spot where the river widens. The scope of the investigation has widened.

Recent Examples on the Web

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

As real estate remains increasingly out of reach for younger buyers, the wealth divide between Boomers and subsequent generations may widen, with homeownership becoming an even more significant driver of financial inequality. —

Paul Du Quenoy, Newsweek, 9 Dec. 2024 Beijing is also expected to widen its fiscal deficit by 1.4 percentage point, which would allow more central government borrowing to shore up the economy, according to Morgan Stanley. —

Anniek Bao, CNBC, 9 Dec. 2024 The next logical move for the 90th Guards Tank Division and adjacent units would be to widen the salient by capturing Novotroitske and, farther south, Ukrainka. —

David Axe, Forbes, 8 Dec. 2024 At times, the conversation might widen even further to one nosy tía’s opinions about the bodies of celebrities she’s never met. —

Ella Cerón, Allure, 6 Dec. 2024 See all Example Sentences for widen