What does widening mean?
Widening describes the process of making something broader or of becoming broader. The word is most often used for physical changes, as in widening a road, doorway, or aperture, but it also extends metaphorically to scope, participation, opportunity, and differences between groups. A widening gap, for example, means that two amounts or positions are moving farther apart. In its adjective use, widening describes a gap or perspective that is becoming broader; in its noun use, it names the act or result of becoming wider. The term is neutral and versatile, appearing in technical, journalistic, and everyday contexts. It can suggest either constructive expansion, such as widening access to education, or a negative trend, such as widening inequality. Dictionaries often show widening chiefly as the present participle of widen, but recognizing its established noun and attributive uses helps readers understand its flexibility.
To make something wider or to become wider.
"The builders are widening the passage to accommodate more traffic."
Widening is the present participle and gerund of widen.
Describing something that is becoming wider, broader, or more extensive.
"A widening gap in access to healthcare has alarmed public-health advocates."
This is an established attributive or participial adjective use.
The act or process of becoming wider or of making something wider.
"The gradual widening of the riverbank led to the loss of several trees."
The noun is normally used without a plural, as in the widening of the gap.
"The steady widening of the gap between the two estimates surprised the analysts."
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does widening come from?
The English verb widen was formed from wide by adding the suffix -en in the early 17th century. Widening developed as its present participle and gerund and was later also used as a noun for the process of becoming wider. Related forms such as wide, width, and widespread continue the same Germanic lexical family.
Related word forms
How widening is actually used
The word is standard in formal and informal contexts in both British and American English. It is neutral in most uses, although it can imply a negative trend when describing inequality or division and a positive development when describing access, participation, or choice.
Easily confused with widening
Widening means making a space or scope larger, whereas winding means turning repeatedly in a curved or twisting course.