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.

“There’s a widening gap between what people have versus what they need,” Roberts said.

From MarketWatch

The drug is also used in infants to treat pulmonary hypertension due to its ability to widen blood vessels.

From Science Daily

But parents are eyeing a widening array of costs competing for their savings.

From The Wall Street Journal

But as the scope of data collection has widened, so too have concerns around how such information might be used.

From BBC

That gap has widened over time, reflecting growing obligations that aren’t matched by increasing revenue.

From Barron's

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