What does widen mean?
Widen means to make something broader or to become broader. Its most literal use describes an increase in physical width, as when a road is widened or an opening is made larger. It also has a well-established figurative meaning: to increase the range, scope, or understanding of something. A person’s perspective may widen through new experiences, while an organization may widen a search or widen access to a service. Because widen can describe both an action and a resulting change, it works neatly in sentences such as “The river widened after the storm” and “The inquiry widened to include other agencies.” The word is formal enough for professional and academic writing but remains entirely natural in everyday conversation. It is especially useful when breadth is being emphasized: width in a literal sense, breadth in scope, or a widening of knowledge and understanding.
verbTo make something wider or broader, or to increase the range, scope, or extent of something. It can also be used intransitively to describe something becoming wider.
- To make something wider or broader in physical dimensions.
- To increase the range, scope, or extent of something.
- To become wider or broader.
"The council approved the plan to widen the road and add a pedestrian walkway."
"The council approved the plan to widen the road and add a pedestrian walkway."
"As the discussion continued, her perspective widened to include the experiences of people in other communities."
Widen is what happens when a narrow path becomes a broad road—or when a limited question becomes a wider inquiry.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does widen come from?
Widen was formed in the early 17th century by adding the verbal suffix -en to wide. Wide itself comes from Old English wīd, meaning “broad” or “extensive,” and ultimately from a Germanic root shared with cognates such as German weit and Dutch wijd. The modern verb widened developed from this older adjective, turning a description of breadth into an action involving increased width or scope.
Related word forms
How widen is actually used
Widen is neutral in register and can be used transitively or intransitively. Its figurative use is especially common in discussions of roads, gaps, searches, perspectives, and opportunities.