widen compared to

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "widen compared to" is not correct in standard written English.
It is not a commonly used expression and may lead to confusion in meaning. Example: "The gap in knowledge seems to widen compared to previous years."

⚠ May contain grammatical issues

Science

News & Media

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

1 human-written examples

However, concordance would degenerate as clines at neutral loci widen compared to loci experiencing a barrier to gene flow [ 12].

BMC Evolutionary Biology

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

59 human-written examples

As the local controllers/observers have access to some other sub-systems' states, the control performance will be improved and the applicability region will be widened compared to the decentralised structure.

Journal of the Franklin Institute

AFM images show that the steps are bunched for CaCO3 formed in the pool-boiling system, and in the presence of PAA, the step spacing is widened compared to the case in the absence of PAA.

Chemical Engineering Science

At 4 days of ligation, the functional space of the distal complex was widened compared to controls and was positively correlated with an increased expression of TNF- α.

BioMed Research International

In three recent tests of trading sentiment, they proved the most coherent supporters of liberalisation, with four-fifths of members voting to widen trade, compared to between half or two-thirds of Republicans and only half of all Democrats.But while this faction has emerged to support liberalisation, backing for free trade has almost collapsed in the rest of the Democratic Party.

The Economist

The gap in test scores between the high-performing Asian countries and the rest widened compared with the previous rounds of tests.

The Guardian

On the pressure side, the PDL space was slightly widened compared with that at 3 days), and the tension side contained abundant PDL fibroblasts and active osteoblasts, 7 e), and 7(f)).

BioMed Research International

Podomeres VI-2 VI-5 are equal in dimension and unusually short (FMNH PE 61197), with carapace margin extending oVI-2 VI-5ere VI-6 which is still short but widens distarey comparequal the preceding podimensionFMNH PE 61198).

BMC Evolutionary Biology

This can be understood because even for the epitaxial thin film, the existence of structural defect such as grain boundaries is evitable, which will result in an internal electric field and then widen the bandgap compared to single crystals.

Nanoscale Research Letters

But based on the widening losses compared to Barnes & Noble's glory days, a drastic change could be needed.

TechCrunch

However, according to details released by the company on 17 May, its sales in the first quarter of 2011 were just $116,000, down from $274,000 in the same period in 2010, with losses widening to $507,000 compared to $446,000.

The Guardian - Tech

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When comparing the expansion of something, use stronger and more grammatically sound alternatives like "increase relative to" or "expand in relation to" instead of "widen compared to" for clarity.

Common error

Avoid directly translating the concept of "making wider" into a comparison. Instead of saying "the road will widen compared to last year", focus on the result: "the road will be wider than last year".

Linguistic Context

The phrase "widen compared to" functions as a comparative construction, attempting to express an increase or expansion relative to a reference point. However, according to Ludwig AI, this phrase is grammatically incorrect and not a standard expression in English. It aims to perform a comparison, but its structure is flawed.

Expression frequency: Rare

Frequent in

Science

30%

News & Media

20%

Formal & Business

10%

Less common in

Academia

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, while the phrase "widen compared to" aims to express a comparative increase, it is considered grammatically incorrect and not a standard expression in English. Ludwig AI identifies it as non-ideal for formal writing. To convey the intended meaning, it's best to use alternatives like "expand in relation to" or "increase relative to", which offer greater clarity and grammatical correctness. While examples exist in diverse sources, it is recommended to avoid this phrasing in favor of more accepted alternatives, particularly in formal contexts.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

expand in relation to

Replaces "widen" with "expand" and uses "in relation to" for a more formal comparison.

increase relative to

Uses "increase" to emphasize the growth and "relative to" for a clear comparison.

grow in contrast to

Employs "grow" to suggest development and "in contrast to" to highlight differences.

become broader than

Replaces "widen" with "become broader" for a simpler comparison.

extend beyond

Uses "extend" to suggest an increase in scope and "beyond" to indicate a boundary being surpassed.

outpace

Implies a faster rate of growth than something else.

magnify in comparison to

Uses "magnify" to illustrate significant enlargement and "in comparison to" for explicit comparison.

surpass in width

Emphasizes exceeding in terms of width.

overextend against

Suggests exceeding a limit when measured against a reference point.

amplify with respect to

Uses "amplify" for intensification and "with respect to" for a formal, measured comparison.

FAQs

What are some alternatives to "widen compared to"?

You can use alternatives like "expand in relation to", "increase relative to", or "grow in contrast to" depending on the context.

Is "widen compared to" grammatically correct?

No, "widen compared to" is not considered grammatically correct in standard written English. It's better to use alternatives such as "wider than" or "expanded in comparison to".

How can I use the word "widen" in a comparative sentence correctly?

Instead of "widen compared to", try rephrasing the sentence to use "wider than". For example, instead of "The gap will widen compared to last year", say "The gap will be wider than last year".

What's the difference between "widen compared to" and "wider than"?

"Wider than" is a grammatically correct comparative phrase, directly comparing two widths. "Widen compared to" is not standard English; it attempts to use "widen" (a verb) in a comparative construction where it doesn't naturally fit. For example: "The new road is "wider than" the old road".