1 B1 neutral
To become physically wider or to make something physically wider.
"They plan to widen up the main road to reduce traffic congestion."
separable
widen up
B1 neutral separable transitive/intransitive
To become wider or broader, or to make something wider or more inclusive in scope.
In plain English
To make something wider, or to include more things or people.
What does "widen up" mean?
2 meanings, ordered from most common to least. Color-coded by CEFR level.
2 B2 idiomatic neutral
To increase the range or scope of something abstract such as a search, discussion, or curriculum.
"The school decided to widen up the curriculum to include more creative subjects."
separable
Literal vs figurative
Words literally mean
To make the width of something larger, extending it outward in both directions.
Actually means
To make something wider, or to include more things or people.
Usage tip
Less common than 'widen' alone or 'broaden out'. Can be used both physically (roads, gaps) and figuratively (perspectives, options). The 'up' particle adds emphasis on completion or increase.
Words that pair with "widen up"
Natural word combinations native speakers use most often.
road gap scope range focus perspective
How to conjugate "widen up"
The five tense forms you'll use most often.
Base
widen up
I/you/we/they
3rd person
widens up
he/she/it
Past simple
widened up
yesterday
Past participle
widened up
have + pp
-ing form
widening up
continuous
Hear "widen up" in the wild
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Other ways to say "widen up"
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