Widened
/ˈwaɪdənd/
Definitions
2 meaningsTo increase in width or breadth; to expand.
/ˈwaɪdənd/
To make or become wider.
The river widened as it flowed toward the sea.
💡 Simply: Imagine a road that's too narrow, and you make it bigger so more cars can fit. Widening means making something bigger like that – it's like the opposite of making something smaller.
👶 For kids: To make something bigger from side to side.
More Examples
The company widened its product range to attract more customers.
The government widened the scope of the investigation.
How It's Used
"Engineers widened the bridge to accommodate more traffic."
"Her understanding of the situation widened as she learned more details."
Having been made wider.
/ˈwaɪdənd/
Past tense and past participle of 'widen'.
The driveway was widened to accommodate the new garage.
💡 Simply: Imagine a street that was small, and now the side is bigger. That street is widened and the action has finished.
👶 For kids: When something has been made bigger from side to side.
More Examples
The canal has been widened for larger boats.
His stance was widened for better balance.
How It's Used
"The road had been widened recently."
"Her eyes widened in surprise."
Synonyms
From Middle English *widenen*, from Old English *wīdan* ('to widen'), from Proto-Germanic *wīthaną* ('to make wide').
The word 'widened' has consistently been used to describe the act of making something broader or increasing its extent since the Middle Ages.