contributed to widening

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "contributed to widening" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used when discussing factors or actions that have led to an increase or expansion in a particular area or aspect. Example: "The new policies contributed to widening the gap between the rich and the poor."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Academia

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

9 human-written examples

Mindy Fullilove says that these trends contributed to widening health inequalities as well.

The New York Times - Magazine

Already, weather-related disasters, from blistering heat waves to flooded farm fields, have contributed to widening gaps between food production and global consumption.

Yale University

Higher oil prices or other short-term developments could disrupt the recovery; indeed, costlier energy has already contributed to widening trade deficits.

The Washington Post

In recent years, booming downtown real estate markets have contributed to widening gaps in wealth and opportunity in major urban areas.

The Washington Post

He contends that those programs not only discriminated against blacks, but actually contributed to widening the gap between white and black Americans -- judged in terms of educational achievement, quality of jobs and housing, and attainment of higher income.

The New York Times - Books

On the other hand, the transformation of society significantly contributed to widening health inequalities [34].

Health Economics Review

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

51 human-written examples

In this context, an EcDNA carrying ORF3 and propagating among polyphagous phytoplasmas possibly contributed to widen the insect vector range.

BMC Evolutionary Biology

Comzmercialization of health care has contributed to widen inequities between the rich and the poor, especially in settings with suboptimal regulatory frameworks of the health sector.

Global Health Action

The origin of all of the problems of healthcare access in the Colombia public healthcare system can not be attributed to the managed competition model, but the results show how it has contributed to widen structural and organizational barriers of access to care, as well as to the creation of new ones that do not appear in public models without competition.

BMC Health Services Research

GG: So what are some of the broader factors contributing to widening inequality today?

University of California, Berkeley

So what are some of the broader factors contributing to widening inequality today?

University of California, Berkeley

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "contributed to widening", ensure that the subject clearly identifies the factor or action that led to the expansion or increase you're describing. Be specific about the context and outcome.

Common error

Avoid using "contributed to widening" when the factor was merely correlated but not causally linked to the widening effect. Use more cautious language if the connection is not firmly established.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "contributed to widening" functions as a verb phrase indicating that something has played a part in making something else larger or more extensive. Ludwig AI confirms the expression is correct and provides multiple examples in different contexts.

Expression frequency: Uncommon

Frequent in

Science

33%

News & Media

42%

Academia

25%

Less common in

Formal & Business

0%

Wiki

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "contributed to widening" is a grammatically correct verb phrase that suggests a factor has played a role in an expansion or increase. Ludwig AI indicates that it is generally acceptable in written English, appearing most frequently in news, scientific, and academic contexts. While "contributed to widening" is not overly common, it's a useful expression for describing how various factors influence a specific phenomenon. When using this phrase, make sure to clearly specify the subject causing the widening and avoid overstating the causal link if it is not firmly established.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

played a role in expanding

Replaces "contributed" with "played a role", emphasizing involvement rather than direct causation.

aided in the expansion of

Uses "aided" instead of "contributed" and rephrases "widening" as "expansion", altering the sentence structure.

helped to broaden

Substitutes "contributed" with "helped" and "widening" with "broaden", offering a simpler alternative.

assisted in amplifying

Replaces "contributed" with "assisted" and "widening" with "amplifying", suggesting an increase in magnitude.

facilitated the growth of

Changes "contributed" to "facilitated" and "widening" to "growth", focusing on enabling development.

was a factor in enlarging

Uses "was a factor" instead of "contributed", highlighting its role as one of many influences, and replaces "widening" with "enlarging".

had a hand in extending

Substitutes "contributed" with the idiomatic "had a hand in", indicating involvement, and "widening" with "extending".

supported the spread of

Replaces "contributed" with "supported" and "widening" with "spread", indicating backing or promotion.

promoted the increase of

Changes "contributed" to "promoted" and "widening" to "increase", suggesting active encouragement.

added to the growth of

Uses "added to" instead of "contributed", focusing on a cumulative effect and changes "widening" to "growth".

FAQs

How can I use "contributed to widening" in a sentence?

You can use "contributed to widening" to describe how something has helped increase or expand something else. For example: "Higher oil prices or other short-term developments could disrupt the recovery; indeed, costlier energy has already contributed to widening trade deficits."

What are some alternatives to "contributed to widening"?

Alternatives include phrases like "played a role in expanding", "helped to broaden", or "aided in the expansion of", depending on the specific context.

Which is correct: "contributed to widening" or "contributed to broaden"?

"Contributed to widening" is correct when referring to an ongoing expansion. "Contributed to broaden" is grammatically incorrect; you would use "contributed to broadening" instead.

What's the difference between "contributed to widening" and "caused widening"?

"Contributed to widening" suggests one of several factors, while "caused widening" implies a direct, primary cause. The former is less assertive and acknowledges other potential influences.