deepen

[dee-puh n]

verb (used with or without object)

to make or become deep or deeper: Larger ships will be able to navigate the river after the main channel is deepened. The shadows deepened toward late afternoon.
Meteorology. to decrease in atmospheric pressure: a deepening cyclone.

Origin of deepen

First recorded in 1595–1605; deep + -en¹

Related formsdeep·en·er, noundeep·en·ing·ly, adverbo·ver·deep·en, verb (used with object)un·deep·ened, adjective

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2018

Examples from the Web for deepened

Contemporary Examples

And like many of the best songs, their resonance has only deepened with time.
Schoolhouse Rock: A Trojan Horse of Knowledge and Power
Jason Lynch
September 6, 2014
Five years later the ADD of the political press corps has only deepened.
Don’t Run for President, Hillary. Become a ‘Post-President’ Instead
Tina Brown
May 2, 2014
In terms of how we expanded and deepened our exploration of the characters.
Beau Willimon on Most Shocking Twists in ‘House of Cards’ Season 2
Andrew Romano
February 15, 2014
It must also have deepened a certain self-loathing he is bound to have had over his inability to acquire a girlfriend.
Beethoven in Love: The Woman Who Captivated the Young Composer
John Suchet
January 26, 2014
In the end I abandoned the idea of art in my book, but my appreciation of Watterson and his creation had deepened immeasurably.
‘Dear Mr. Watterson’ Celebrates the Glory of Calvin and Hobbes on Film
Malcolm Jones
November 16, 2013

Historical Examples

For more than an hour, there was perfect stillness, as the shades of evening deepened.
Philothea
Lydia Maria Child
Sidney, as tender as ever, had lost a little of the radiance from her eyes; her voice had deepened.
K
Mary Roberts Rinehart
With deepened discomfort, Martin hurried to the creek to water the horses.
Dust
Mr. and Mrs. Haldeman-Julius
The gloomier colourings of his mind had been deepened, too, by secret remorse.
Leila, Complete
Edward Bulwer-Lytton
Vere felt that somehow her eager suggestion had deepened the constraint.
A Spirit in Prison
Robert Hichens

British Dictionary definitions for deepened

deepen

verb

to make or become deep, deeper, or more intense

Derived Formsdeepener, noun

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

Word Origin and History for deepened

deepen

v.

c.1600, from deep (adj.) + -en (1). Related: Deepened; deepening. The earlier verb had been simply deep, from Old English diepan.

deepen

Origin of .css-1fxfie5{font-size:22px;}@media (max-width:768px){.css-1fxfie5{font-size:18px;margin:0 10px 10px 0;word-break:break-all;word-wrap:break-word;-webkit-hyphens:auto;-moz-hyphens:auto;-ms-hyphens:auto;hyphens:auto;line-height:22px;}}deepen

Related Words

Examples from the Web for deepened

Contemporary Examples

And like many of the best songs, their resonance has only deepened with time.

Five years later the ADD of the political press corps has only deepened.

In terms of how we expanded and deepened our exploration of the characters.

It must also have deepened a certain self-loathing he is bound to have had over his inability to acquire a girlfriend.

In the end I abandoned the idea of art in my book, but my appreciation of Watterson and his creation had deepened immeasurably.

Historical Examples

For more than an hour, there was perfect stillness, as the shades of evening deepened.

Sidney, as tender as ever, had lost a little of the radiance from her eyes; her voice had deepened.

With deepened discomfort, Martin hurried to the creek to water the horses.

The gloomier colourings of his mind had been deepened, too, by secret remorse.

Vere felt that somehow her eager suggestion had deepened the constraint.

deepen

Word Origin and History for deepened

deepen

v.

Origin of deepen