Synonyms

widen

American

[wahyd-n] / ˈwaɪd n /

verb (used with or without object)

to make or become wide or wider; broaden; expand.

widen British

/ ˈwaɪdən /

verb

to make or become wide or wider

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Other Word Forms

rewiden verb
unwidened adjective
widener noun

Etymology

Origin of widen

First recorded in 1600–10; wide + -en ¹

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

The session will also widen to cover broader global threats, but the conflict with Iran -- now entering its third week -- was set to dominate proceedings once again.

From Barron's

Access has widened, but quality is uneven, with faculty shortages and stark regional gaps.

From BBC

A ripple of laughter widened around the room at this.

From Literature

And when nuclear weapons appeared and the gap widened between the powers that possessed them and those that didn’t.

From The Wall Street Journal

The nuclear start-up said after the bell Tuesday that its net loss had widened from the previous year.

From Barron's

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023