dilate
verb (used with object)
to make wider or larger; cause to expand.
had dilated
-
past perfectof dilate.past perfect
Used to express a completed action that took place before another specific past action occurred.
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.
He had dilated pupils, a high heart rate, and had to be checked every 20 minutes until the plane arrived at Heathrow.
From BBC ● Aug. 22, 2025
She had just entered her second trimester when she was told she had dilated prematurely and that the loss of her foetus, whom she and her husband had named Willow, was "inevitable".
From BBC ● Mar. 7, 2023
When he got to the emergency room, doctors told him that he also had dilated cardiomyopathy — just as his twin had been told.
From Fox News ● Mar. 23, 2022
Said one chastened doctor: "If my patient had dilated to only two centimeters and Carmon said she ought to go to delivery, I'd take her there."
From Time Magazine Archive
His pupils had dilated in the lamplight, absorbing the hazel of the iris.
From "Educated" by Tara Westover
