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
Investigators widened their search.
—
Jeff Capellini, CBS News, 8 Apr. 2026
The state’s plan to widen the highway could further restrict left turns, according to the petition.
—Charlotte Observer, 8 Apr. 2026
Wisconsinites will vote for a new state Supreme Court justice on Tuesday in a race that could maintain or widen the court's liberal majority for years.
—Gaby Vinick, ABC News, 7 Apr. 2026
The fire department also required a minimum of 20 feet in the roadway, so the county had to widen the lane, adding a six-foot emergency shoulder.
—Karen Billing, San Diego Union-Tribune, 7 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for widen
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Jeff Capellini, CBS News, 8 Apr. 2026
The state’s plan to widen the highway could further restrict left turns, according to the petition.
—Charlotte Observer, 8 Apr. 2026
Wisconsinites will vote for a new state Supreme Court justice on Tuesday in a race that could maintain or widen the court's liberal majority for years.
—Gaby Vinick, ABC News, 7 Apr. 2026
The fire department also required a minimum of 20 feet in the roadway, so the county had to widen the lane, adding a six-foot emergency shoulder.
—Karen Billing, San Diego Union-Tribune, 7 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for widen
Cite this Entry
“Widen.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/widen. Accessed 10 Apr. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
