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.
Related Words
Relevance
Dissimilar Words
Example Sentences
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.
Recent Examples of widened
The Gaza war widened this divide and then the Iran war created a sense that the region was being dragged into instability through Israeli-Iranian confrontation.
—
Chas Newkey-Burden, TheWeek, 15 May 2026
On the roadway, bicycle lanes will be widened from 4 to 6 feet on both sides.
—Megan Vaz, Sun Sentinel, 14 May 2026
Naperville Road/North Naper Boulevard at Ridgeland Avenue/Naperville-Wheaton Road is also to be widened and resurfaced.
—Carolyn Stein, Chicago Tribune, 14 May 2026
In Canada, the structure widened.
—Kansas City Star, 14 May 2026
But the disparities widened, particularly in the Midwest and West, where in 2022, more than 80 Black people per million were hospitalized due to heat, as opposed to around 60 white people per million in the South and closer to 40 white people per million in the West.
—Theresa Gaffney, STAT, 13 May 2026
The ratio of Cboe's S&P 500 Constituent Volatility Index VIXEQ to VIX has widened to the 98th percentile as correlations remain low.
—Oliver Renick, CNBC, 12 May 2026
The jelly spread widened from there, especially once brands started dropping the material into existing shoe codes.
—Maggie Clancy, Footwear News, 12 May 2026
Wealth inequality has widened in recent years.
—Alicia Wallace, CNN Money, 12 May 2026
Chas Newkey-Burden, TheWeek, 15 May 2026
On the roadway, bicycle lanes will be widened from 4 to 6 feet on both sides.
—Megan Vaz, Sun Sentinel, 14 May 2026
Naperville Road/North Naper Boulevard at Ridgeland Avenue/Naperville-Wheaton Road is also to be widened and resurfaced.
—Carolyn Stein, Chicago Tribune, 14 May 2026
In Canada, the structure widened.
—Kansas City Star, 14 May 2026
But the disparities widened, particularly in the Midwest and West, where in 2022, more than 80 Black people per million were hospitalized due to heat, as opposed to around 60 white people per million in the South and closer to 40 white people per million in the West.
—Theresa Gaffney, STAT, 13 May 2026
The ratio of Cboe's S&P 500 Constituent Volatility Index VIXEQ to VIX has widened to the 98th percentile as correlations remain low.
—Oliver Renick, CNBC, 12 May 2026
The jelly spread widened from there, especially once brands started dropping the material into existing shoe codes.
—Maggie Clancy, Footwear News, 12 May 2026
Wealth inequality has widened in recent years.
—Alicia Wallace, CNN Money, 12 May 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for widened
Verb
-
Soon after, the call for volunteers was broadened to include employees’ family and friends who had used an accountant, not AI, to prepare their taxes.—
Bloomberg,
Mercury News,
18 May 2026
-
The transition from elite competitor to advocate has broadened his perspective.—
Tim Genske,
Forbes.com,
18 May 2026
Verb
-
The tweaks to Smugglers Run follow big changes to Galaxy’s Edge, as Disney recently expanded the land’s timeline to feature classic, fan-favorite characters such as Darth Vader, Han, Luke and Leia.—
Todd Martens,
Los Angeles Times,
21 May 2026
-
In his Texas speech, Thomas expanded on that idea.—
Ruth Marcus,
New Yorker,
21 May 2026
Verb
-
With Boston ruled out just before tip-off due to a lower leg injury, the spotlight on Caitlin Clark intensified.—
Alejandro Avila OutKick,
FOXNews.com,
18 May 2026
-
Moreno, a health director for a labor union, said he was consumed at the time with his job, which suddenly intensified as the COVID-19 pandemic swept the country.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
17 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Widened.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/widened. Accessed 22 May. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
