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
His recent work has examined the impacts of drought, threats to public lands and wildlife, and the nation’s widening rural-urban divide.
—
Kurtis Alexander, San Francisco Chronicle, 4 Apr. 2026
The city is widening its entertainment zone to include the whole downtown area, rather than just the promenade.
—CBS News, 3 Apr. 2026
In contrast, hair loss tends to show up in specific patterns — such as thinning near the temples, a widening hairline, or bald areas near the crown — and happen more gradually.
—Rebecca Strong, USA Today, 3 Apr. 2026
As live performances became a more important source of revenue for artists and promoters, these factors contributed to a sustained rise in ticket costs, widening the gap between general consumer prices and the cost of attending major concerts.
—Doug Ashburn, Encyclopedia Britannica, 2 Apr. 2026
Hospital costs are among the major forces driving Americans deeper into debt and widening the inequality gap.
—Gretchen Morgenson, NBC news, 2 Apr. 2026
The plan will require the stadium comply with the Americans with Disabilities Act, widening the aisles and adding handrails — presumably forcing a seating reduction in the stadium’s lower bowl.
—Edgar Thompson, The Orlando Sentinel, 2 Apr. 2026
South Korea encouraged quicker showers and is considering widening curbs on driving, while Egypt ordered stores and restaurants to close early.
—Andrew Edgecliffe-Johnson, semafor.com, 2 Apr. 2026
And, third, if the public likes outdoor dining (and who doesn’t), widening the sidewalks would be far better than building structures in the street.
—Lucius J. Riccio, New York Daily News, 1 Apr. 2026
Kurtis Alexander, San Francisco Chronicle, 4 Apr. 2026
The city is widening its entertainment zone to include the whole downtown area, rather than just the promenade.
—CBS News, 3 Apr. 2026
In contrast, hair loss tends to show up in specific patterns — such as thinning near the temples, a widening hairline, or bald areas near the crown — and happen more gradually.
—Rebecca Strong, USA Today, 3 Apr. 2026
As live performances became a more important source of revenue for artists and promoters, these factors contributed to a sustained rise in ticket costs, widening the gap between general consumer prices and the cost of attending major concerts.
—Doug Ashburn, Encyclopedia Britannica, 2 Apr. 2026
Hospital costs are among the major forces driving Americans deeper into debt and widening the inequality gap.
—Gretchen Morgenson, NBC news, 2 Apr. 2026
The plan will require the stadium comply with the Americans with Disabilities Act, widening the aisles and adding handrails — presumably forcing a seating reduction in the stadium’s lower bowl.
—Edgar Thompson, The Orlando Sentinel, 2 Apr. 2026
South Korea encouraged quicker showers and is considering widening curbs on driving, while Egypt ordered stores and restaurants to close early.
—Andrew Edgecliffe-Johnson, semafor.com, 2 Apr. 2026
And, third, if the public likes outdoor dining (and who doesn’t), widening the sidewalks would be far better than building structures in the street.
—Lucius J. Riccio, New York Daily News, 1 Apr. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for widening
Verb
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Read, Game Shows remain a vital line of revenue, with Sony broadening development channels for anime and game show IP.—
Anthony D'Alessandro,
Deadline,
7 Apr. 2026
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Obviously, the Black Arts movement and Chicano arts movements which were in full swing in the 1960s and 1970s had a major effect on broadening the doorway through which writers came into publications.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
7 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Mantello’s production actually frees the play from its own time, expanding its vista.—
Chris Jones,
New York Daily News,
10 Apr. 2026
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Murillo said the Mining Arc later became a financial lifeline for the Venezuelan regime as oil revenues collapsed, with gold extraction expanding rapidly under opaque arrangements involving state players and armed groups.—
Antonio María Delgado,
Miami Herald,
9 Apr. 2026
Verb
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The people were lodging complaints about the government's intensifying crackdown on the internet that has seen regular shutdowns of cellphone internet connections, blocked popular messaging apps and cut access to thousands of other websites and digital services.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
9 Apr. 2026
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Get ready to hear a lot more about El Niño during the next several months — and maybe even longer — as the infamous climate cycle returns again, developing and intensifying in the Pacific Ocean near the equator.—
Andrew Freedman,
CNN Money,
7 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Widening.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/widening. Accessed 12 Apr. 2026.
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