widened; widening
ˈwīd-niŋ 
ˈwī-dᵊn-iŋ
: to increase the width, scope, or extent of
widen a road
widen an investigation
: to become wide or wider
a widening gap
Examples of widen in a Sentence
The city is going to widen the road.
They plan to widen the investigation.
Her eyes widened in surprise.
They went swimming at a spot where the river widens.
The scope of the investigation has widened.
Recent Examples on the Web
For example, its report highlighted that Singapore added another 5 billion Singapore dollars ($3.9 billion) to its coastal and flood protection fund this year to support new infrastructure like detention tanks, widened canals, and elevated platform levels.
—
Eleanor Pringle, Fortune, 12 Aug. 2025
Inflation held steady in July as President Donald Trump’s sweeping import tariffs took a widening toll on U.S. consumer prices.
—Paul Davidson, USA Today, 12 Aug. 2025
Her plans to expand Archive Alive include a vision that widens access to both education and professional opportunities for budding Black archivists.
—Essence, 11 Aug. 2025
In Indiana, where congressional primaries are typically the more competitive races, a politically relevant advertisement or mail piece from a congressional office can widen the recognition gap between an incumbent and potential competitors, experts said.
—Brittany Carloni, IndyStar, 11 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for widen
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Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
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Eleanor Pringle, Fortune, 12 Aug. 2025
Inflation held steady in July as President Donald Trump’s sweeping import tariffs took a widening toll on U.S. consumer prices.
—Paul Davidson, USA Today, 12 Aug. 2025
Her plans to expand Archive Alive include a vision that widens access to both education and professional opportunities for budding Black archivists.
—Essence, 11 Aug. 2025
In Indiana, where congressional primaries are typically the more competitive races, a politically relevant advertisement or mail piece from a congressional office can widen the recognition gap between an incumbent and potential competitors, experts said.
—Brittany Carloni, IndyStar, 11 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for widen
Cite this Entry
“Widen.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/widen. Accessed 21 Aug. 2025.
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