What does wider mean?
“Wider” is the comparative form of the adjective “wide.” It means greater in physical extent or breadth, as when a road or opening is wider than another. It also commonly describes an expanded scope, choice, audience, or range: a policy may affect a wider group of people, while a publisher may offer a wider selection of books. In these contexts, “wider” suggests that something includes more possibilities, people, applications, or territory than it otherwise would. The word is frequently followed by “than,” although it can stand alone when the comparison is evident from context. “Wider” should not be confused with “widely,” an adverb meaning “by many people” or “to a large extent.” Although “wide” can describe physical measurements, “wider” is also valuable for discussing relationships, differences, and scope in social, political, scientific, and cultural settings.
adjectiveGreater in extent, breadth, scope, or range than something else. It is the comparative form of “wide.”
- Greater in physical extent or breadth.
- Broader in scope, range, or applicability.
"The revised design accommodates a wider range of needs than the original."
"The path becomes wider as it approaches the meadow."
"Her research has drawn wider interest from scientists and historians."
Wider needs a yardstick: without knowing what it is being compared with, the word cannot tell us whether something is broader, more expansive, or merely more spacious.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does wider come from?
“Wider” is the comparative form of “wide,” whose Old English ancestor was wīd, a Germanic word with Indo-European cognates. English created the comparative by adding the suffix “-er,” a productive way of forming comparatives from adjectives. Modern “wider” therefore retains the original sense of broadness while also extending readily to abstract ideas such as range, scope, and participation.
How wider is actually used
“Wider” is normally used with “than” or in a context where the comparison is already clear. It is neutral in register and common in general, academic, and technical writing.
Easily confused with wider
“Wider” is the comparative adjective of “wide,” whereas “widely” is an adverb meaning “by many people” or “to a large extent.”