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.

Income inequality also helps explain the widening gap between the U.S. and its peers.

From Science Daily

December’s trade surplus likely widened slightly, as export growth outpaced a contraction in imports.

From The Wall Street Journal

They held placards that read "we won't pay", condemning the widening gap between incomes and bills.

From Barron's

It let its tongue loll out and its nostrils widen.

From Literature

Treasury yields declined as the November U.S. trade deficit widened more than expected and government officials moved to avoid another shutdown.

From The Wall Street Journal

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