# widen

> English word · Verb · IPA /ˈwaɪdn̩/ · frequency rank #21,113

## Definitions
1. To become wide or wider.
2. To make wide or wider.
3. To let out clothes to a larger size.
4. To broaden or extend in scope or range.
5. To convert to a data type that can hold a larger number of distinct values.

## Etymology
PIE word
 *dwóh₁
From wide + -en (verbal suffix).

## Easily confused with
- **win** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/widen-vs-win)
- **Wie** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/widen-vs-wie)
- **wife** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/widen-vs-wife)
- **wine** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/widen-vs-wine)
- **wise** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/widen-vs-wise)
- **wire** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/widen-vs-wire)
- **wipe** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/widen-vs-wipe)
- **wren** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/widen-vs-wren)
- **Winn** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/widen-vs-winn)
- **Wien** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/widen-vs-wien)
- **wile** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/widen-vs-wile)
- **women** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/widen-vs-women)
- **wider** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/widen-vs-wider)
- **widow** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/widen-vs-widow)
- **wives** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/widen-vs-wives)
- **width** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/widen-vs-width)
- **wiped** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/widen-vs-wiped)
- **wires** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/widen-vs-wires)
- **wines** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/widen-vs-wines)
- **wired** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/widen-vs-wired)

## Common misspellings (7)
`iwden`, `wdien`, `widden`, `widenn`, `widne`, `wiedn`, `wwiden`

## Source
Compiled from Wiktionary via kaikki.org (CC BY-SA). Data vintage: 2026-05-06.
Canonical page: https://plainspell.com/en/word/widen