widening

USAGE SUMMARY

The word 'widening' is correct and can be used in written English.
It is a verb that means to become or make something wider. Example: The government is planning to widen the road to ease traffic congestion.

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Formal & Business

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

In just five years, he ushered in Sure Start, literacy and numeracy hours, called out the poorest secondary schools, and set about widening university access from what had been a despicably low base.

The Guardian

Taxes were hiked and public spending slashed as Brian Cowen's government sought to plug a widening black hole in Irish public finances.

The Guardian

"One guy took off 174 warlords' heads," he says, eyes widening.

The Guardian - Music

The report found a widening gap between rich and poor at the most selective universities, but no evidence this has worsened since top-up fees were introduced in 2006.

The Guardian

Farage said he was widening attention from about a dozen to an ambitious 22 target seats, aided by the Desmond money to buy extra billboards, poster trucks and mailshots.

The Guardian

Reprising recent warnings about widening income inequality in many rich countries, the OECD notes a relatively poor performance in the UK: Income inequality is high.

The Guardian - Business

HMRC said it was widening its investigation and revealed that 130 of the 1,000 HSBC account holders in Switzerland had yet to be investigated.

The Guardian

Ronald Adelson, from Lancaster, contacted Guardian Money this week after spotting the widening gap between the rates.

The Guardian - Money

While a number of resource-rich African states such as Equatorial Guinea and Angola have achieved impressive economic growth rates in recent years, widening inequality has often meant that development indicators, such as infant mortality, have failed to keep pace.

The Guardian - Business

For all the diversity of contributions to fields ranging from medical research to video games that led Dundee to be recognised as the UK's first Unesco City of Design in 2014, locals raise concerns about the widening health and educational gap between the poorer and more affluent areas of the city.

The Guardian

In 1997 he co-founded the Social Issues Research Centre (SIRC), also based in Oxford, to focus on positive aspects of human behaviour and social interaction, further widening the scope of his investigations with projects for the European commission, British government departments and the private sector.

The Guardian

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "widening" to describe a gradual increase in scope, size, or intensity. For example, "The company is widening its product line".

Common error

Avoid using "widening" to describe events that happen instantly. Instead of saying "The gap widened suddenly", consider "The gap increased sharply".

Linguistic Context

The primary grammatical function of "widening" is that of a verb, typically used in its present participle or gerund form. It often functions as part of a continuous verb tense (e.g., "is widening") or as a noun (gerund) describing the action of making something wider. Ludwig AI confirms this usage as correct and standard.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

50%

Formal & Business

25%

Science

25%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "widening" is a versatile verb form used to describe the process of making something larger, more extensive, or more inclusive. As confirmed by Ludwig AI, its grammatical status is correct and its usage is very common across various contexts, particularly in news, business, and scientific writing. While appropriate for both formal and informal registers, it's crucial to use "widening" to describe gradual, rather than instantaneous, changes. Remember that alternatives like "increasing", "expanding", and "broadening" may be more suitable depending on the specific nuance you wish to convey.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

increasing

Focuses on the act of becoming larger or more extensive.

expanding

Emphasizes growth and extension into a larger area or scope.

broadening

Highlights the action of making something wider or more inclusive.

enlarging

Indicates an increase in size or volume.

extending

Suggests making something longer or reaching further.

augmenting

Implies adding to something to enhance or increase it.

amplifying

Focuses on increasing the intensity or magnitude.

escalating

Indicates a rapid increase or intensification.

developing

Emphasizes growth and advancement over time.

unfolding

Suggests a gradual revelation or expansion.

FAQs

How can I use "widening" in a sentence?

You can use "widening" to describe something that is increasing in scope or size over time, such as "The company is "widening its market share"".

What can I say instead of "widening"?

You can use alternatives like "increasing", "expanding", or "broadening" depending on the context.

Which is correct, "widening gap" or "widen gap"?

"Widening gap" is correct when referring to a gap that is in the process of becoming wider. "Widen gap" is a verb phrase suggesting the action of making a gap wider.

What's the difference between "widening" and "broadening"?

While both imply making something larger, "widening" often refers to physical dimensions or scope, while "broadening" often refers to abstract concepts like understanding or knowledge.