progressively wider

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "progressively wider" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to describe something that increases in width gradually over time or in stages. Example: "The path became progressively wider as we walked deeper into the forest."

✓ Grammatically correct

Science

News & Media

Encyclopedias

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

13 human-written examples

The flat-topped hills are separated by saddles, which become progressively wider toward the east.

Encyclopedia Britannica

Analysis of results published by the Department for Education and Skills (DfES) for 2002-03 shows that the gender gap gets progressively wider from one stage to the next; but it is far more marked for some groups than others - and the boys worst affected are poor.

The Guardian

The other proposes that new infectivity and resistance genotypes sweep through the population; repeated selective sweeps lead to the evolution of generalist hosts and parasites, which can resist or infect a progressively wider range of genotypes.

Evolution: Education and Outreach

Mean joint spacing is wide in fresh rock, becomes closer in moderately weathered rock, and then becomes progressively wider from moderately weathered rock through highly and completely weathered rock.

CATENA

Seen in this way, the logical notions are the end point of a chain of progressively more abstract, "formal," or topic-neutral notions defined by their invariance under progressively wider groups of transformations of a domain.[13] As an account of the distinctive generality of logic, then, permutation invariance has much to recommend it.

SEP

The house becomes progressively wider from bottom to top, with a sunlit office just above the street-level entryway.

Los Angeles Times

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

47 human-written examples

State laws progressively embraced wide-ranging protections for these dealers due to a perceived imbalance of power between the typically small local dealers and major national manufacturers.

TechCrunch

Resolution associated with the high frequencies can then be achieved by progressively expanding to wider bandwidths as the iterations proceed.

Journal of Applied Geophysics

Gulen's name has progressively reached a wider Western audience.

Huffington Post

These biosynthesised nanoparticles are progressively been employed in wide range of applications in science, technology and medicine because of their distinctive optical and antimicrobial properties.

Journal of Nanostructure in Chemistry

As the field moves quickly into a personal genomics era, genome-wide sequencing progressively becomes a routine for individuals participating in research projects, medical practices, and clinical trials.

BMC Genomics

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "progressively wider" when you want to emphasize a gradual and continuous increase in width over time or stages. It suggests a sequence where each step is larger than the previous one.

Common error

While similar, "increasingly wide" might imply a more general trend, whereas "progressively wider" suggests a step-by-step increase, making it useful when describing staged growth or expansion.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "progressively wider" functions as an adverb-adjective combination, modifying a noun or verb to describe a gradual increase in width. Ludwig examples confirm this usage, indicating its role in depicting a continuous expansion.

Expression frequency: Uncommon

Frequent in

Science

70%

News & Media

20%

Encyclopedias

10%

Less common in

Formal & Business

0%

Wiki

0%

Social Media

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "progressively wider" is a grammatically correct phrase used to describe something that gradually increases in width over time. Ludwig AI confirms its validity and common usage. While alternatives like "increasingly broad" or "gradually expanding" exist, "progressively wider" specifically emphasizes a step-by-step or continuous increase. This phrase is most frequently found in scientific and news-related contexts, signaling a formal to neutral register. When using this phrase, ensure that the context calls for emphasizing the gradual and continuous nature of the widening process. Avoid confusing it with "increasingly wide", which implies a more general trend.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

progressively broader

Swaps "wider" for "broader", maintaining the meaning but offering a slight variation in wording.

ever-widening

A more concise and emphatic way of saying "progressively wider", suggesting a continuous increase.

steadily broadening

Highlights the stability and consistency of the widening process.

gradually expanding

Focuses on the expansion process, highlighting a slow and steady increase in size or range.

incrementally wider

Highlights small, distinct increases in width.

increasingly broad

Emphasizes the growing breadth or scope, rather than the continuous nature of the widening.

widening over time

Emphasizes the temporal aspect of the widening process.

continually extending

Stresses the ongoing and uninterrupted nature of the increase in width.

growing in width

A more straightforward way to express the increase in width.

successively larger

Focuses on discrete steps of increasing size, rather than a continuous process.

FAQs

How can I use "progressively wider" in a sentence?

You can use "progressively wider" to describe anything that increases in width over time or through stages. For example, "The river became progressively wider as it flowed towards the sea."

What's a good alternative to "progressively wider"?

Alternatives include "increasingly broad", "gradually expanding", or "ever-widening" depending on the specific context.

Is it correct to say "progressively more wide"?

While understandable, "progressively wider" is the more idiomatic and grammatically sound choice. "More wide" is less common and can sound awkward.

How does "progressively wider" differ from "increasingly wider"?

"Progressively wider" often implies a staged or measured increase, while "increasingly wider" suggests a general trend of widening without necessarily specifying distinct steps.