as in broadening
to increase the width, breadth, or scope of
Immediate action to widen the highway is needed to ease the near constant congestion. The authorities planned to widen their investigation into Ponzi scheme.
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Recent Examples of widening
While young men are increasingly leaning to the far right, young women are moving further to the left, creating a widening ideological divide.
—
Angela Velasquez, Sourcing Journal, 21 Oct. 2025
The new venture underscores OpenAI’s ever-widening ambitions.
—J.d. Capelouto, semafor.com, 21 Oct. 2025
Across the border, Guyana’s oil boom is remaking the country—supercharging growth while widening the social fault lines that sudden wealth can expose.
—Arick Wierson, MSNBC Newsweek, 20 Oct. 2025
Newcastle scouts watch local school and grassroots games featuring five, six and seven-year-olds, widening their network over recent years to give more kids the opportunity to be spotted.
—George Caulkin, New York Times, 16 Oct. 2025
Financial inequality and the widening gap between the haves and have-nots are big issues for a broad comedy to tackle, but scenes like Arj waiting in line for hours to pick up a rich guy's gourmet donut puts those things into an entertaining perspective.
—Brian Truitt, USA Today, 16 Oct. 2025
The Kremlin has warned that Western weapons raise the risk of widening the war.
—Yuliya Talmazan, NBC news, 15 Oct. 2025
Finance the economy is so challenged that more Americans are raising money to buy food—an arresting data point that captures the widening gap between household budgets and basic needs.
—Ashley Lutz, Fortune, 13 Oct. 2025
The Kremlin’s hugely important earnings from oil and natural gas are falling and the budget deficit – the gap between government spending and revenue – is widening.
—Clare Sebastian, CNN Money, 11 Oct. 2025
Angela Velasquez, Sourcing Journal, 21 Oct. 2025
The new venture underscores OpenAI’s ever-widening ambitions.
—J.d. Capelouto, semafor.com, 21 Oct. 2025
Across the border, Guyana’s oil boom is remaking the country—supercharging growth while widening the social fault lines that sudden wealth can expose.
—Arick Wierson, MSNBC Newsweek, 20 Oct. 2025
Newcastle scouts watch local school and grassroots games featuring five, six and seven-year-olds, widening their network over recent years to give more kids the opportunity to be spotted.
—George Caulkin, New York Times, 16 Oct. 2025
Financial inequality and the widening gap between the haves and have-nots are big issues for a broad comedy to tackle, but scenes like Arj waiting in line for hours to pick up a rich guy's gourmet donut puts those things into an entertaining perspective.
—Brian Truitt, USA Today, 16 Oct. 2025
The Kremlin has warned that Western weapons raise the risk of widening the war.
—Yuliya Talmazan, NBC news, 15 Oct. 2025
Finance the economy is so challenged that more Americans are raising money to buy food—an arresting data point that captures the widening gap between household budgets and basic needs.
—Ashley Lutz, Fortune, 13 Oct. 2025
The Kremlin’s hugely important earnings from oil and natural gas are falling and the budget deficit – the gap between government spending and revenue – is widening.
—Clare Sebastian, CNN Money, 11 Oct. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for widening
Verb
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Trodelvy sales rose 14% YoY, and Gilead is broadening its oncology strategy with a $750M licensing deal with Kymera.—
Tony Zhang,
CNBC,
22 Oct. 2025
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While Florida has expanded Medicaid access for postpartum mothers, state leaders have been firm about not broadening the program overall.—
Romy Ellenbogen,
Miami Herald,
17 Oct. 2025
Verb
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In 2025, Ohtani is likely to earn another MVP award, adding to his ever-expanding trophy cabinet.—
Nelson Espinal,
MSNBC Newsweek,
25 Oct. 2025
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Environmental advocates question the need for expanding fossil fuel resources a time when greenhouse gases from those fuels are worsening climate change.—
Sarah Henry,
AZCentral.com,
25 Oct. 2025
Verb
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The dispute highlights the deep mistrust and volatility defining relations between the two governments, with both sides reinforcing military deployments and intensifying rhetoric, raising fears of direct confrontation.—
Amir Daftari,
MSNBC Newsweek,
24 Oct. 2025
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Warmer air, for example, boosts evaporation, which leads to more moisture entrained in the atmosphere, intensifying rainfalls, while warmer oceans provide an energy source for more violent hurricanes.—
Jeffrey Kluger,
Time,
22 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Widening.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/widening. Accessed 29 Oct. 2025.
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