as in broadened
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 widened
Revenue fell sharply and losses widened, reflecting a pullback from production-facing activities following several years of restructuring and shifting scale ambitions.
—
Alexandra Harrell, Sourcing Journal, 12 Feb. 2026
His transition into the new role has widened his horizon to explore other areas of human development that are fundamental to business growth but often ignored.
—Jason Phillips, jsonline.com, 10 Feb. 2026
In 2024, the gap between average and median income was 45%, a disparity that has widened consistently for decades.
—Nick Lichtenberg, Fortune, 9 Feb. 2026
Yet a gap of just four points separates Chelsea in third and Spurs in fifth, widened from the one point that stood between the pair in the hours before Sunday’s kick-off.
—Megan Feringa, New York Times, 9 Feb. 2026
After what happened to Rishi’s wife in the Season 3 finale, the possibilities for the show widened, and violent, scary things can happen.
—Alison Herman, Variety, 6 Feb. 2026
As the search continued without success, investigators widened their efforts to include a pond at nearby Mayfield Park, close to Smith's residence.
—Dan Raby, CBS News, 6 Feb. 2026
But divisions within the party have widened, and Steenhuisen has faced allegations of corruption.
—Tom Chivers, semafor.com, 5 Feb. 2026
Since bitcoin’s October peak, the gap between its performance and gold’s has widened significantly.
—Allie Canal, NBC news, 5 Feb. 2026
Alexandra Harrell, Sourcing Journal, 12 Feb. 2026
His transition into the new role has widened his horizon to explore other areas of human development that are fundamental to business growth but often ignored.
—Jason Phillips, jsonline.com, 10 Feb. 2026
In 2024, the gap between average and median income was 45%, a disparity that has widened consistently for decades.
—Nick Lichtenberg, Fortune, 9 Feb. 2026
Yet a gap of just four points separates Chelsea in third and Spurs in fifth, widened from the one point that stood between the pair in the hours before Sunday’s kick-off.
—Megan Feringa, New York Times, 9 Feb. 2026
After what happened to Rishi’s wife in the Season 3 finale, the possibilities for the show widened, and violent, scary things can happen.
—Alison Herman, Variety, 6 Feb. 2026
As the search continued without success, investigators widened their efforts to include a pond at nearby Mayfield Park, close to Smith's residence.
—Dan Raby, CBS News, 6 Feb. 2026
But divisions within the party have widened, and Steenhuisen has faced allegations of corruption.
—Tom Chivers, semafor.com, 5 Feb. 2026
Since bitcoin’s October peak, the gap between its performance and gold’s has widened significantly.
—Allie Canal, NBC news, 5 Feb. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for widened
Verb
-
Rapes did increase by 16%, a jump the NYPD attributed to legislative change that broadened the legal definition of rape.—
Mark Morales,
CNN Money,
11 Feb. 2026
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Economic woes sparked the protests, which broadened into a challenge to the theocracy before the crackdown, which activists say has killed at least 6,443 people.—
SAM McNEIL AND JON GAMBRELL THE ASSOCIATED PRESS,
Arkansas Online,
30 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
The enhanced subsidies, which expanded eligibility both by lowering the percentage of household income people had to pay toward their care and removing an income cap, expired at the end of last year.—
Julie Appleby,
Miami Herald,
11 Feb. 2026
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Russia has been seen modernizing its nuclear facilities, and in recent years, China has expanded its main test site by digging new tunnels.—
Geoff Brumfiel,
NPR,
11 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
That’s somehow intensified by the fact that most of the people mentioned in the files, like Paul Weiss’ now-former chairman Brad Karp, aren’t really accused of anything specific.—
Ben Smith,
semafor.com,
9 Feb. 2026
-
After their first child was born 11 years ago, the imbalance intensified.—
Jelena Kecmanovic,
CNN Money,
7 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Widened.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/widened. Accessed 14 Feb. 2026.
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