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.

This fact, according to León, “marks a structural widening of the conflict beyond contained or symbolic strikes.”

From MarketWatch

“I guess ‘brain attack’ is a phrase you might have to feel,” Gyllenhaal offers, her mouth widening into a smile.

From Los Angeles Times

If cracks in the labor market widen, it could lead to a slowdown in consumer spending and prompt investors to reconsider whether high valuations in the stock market are justified.

From MarketWatch

He shrank ministries, lifted price controls and widened the peso’s trading bands, cooling triple-digit inflation and stabilizing markets.

From The Wall Street Journal

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