deepen

verb

deep·​en ˈdē-pən How to pronounce deepen (audio)
deepened; deepening ˈdē-pə-niŋ How to pronounce deepen (audio)
ˈdēp-niŋ

transitive verb

: to make deep or deeper

intransitive verb

: to become deeper or more profound

Examples of deepen in a Sentence

They deepened the river so that larger boats could sail through. Age had deepened the lines in his face. The water deepens toward the center of the river. Her powerful words deepened our commitment to the cause. The vacation together deepened their relationship with each other. The mystery was deepened by her silence. This class will deepen your understanding of economics. Living in the country's capital had deepened her knowledge of politics.
Recent Examples on the Web The problems deepened with shocks from the pandemic, when anti-virus controls led some cities into weekslong shutdowns and factories ended up with huge backlogs. Dake Kang and Elaine Kurtenbach, Quartz, 4 Mar. 2024 However, over the next twenty years, Millennials are poised to inherit some $90 trillion of assets and become the richest generation in history – but only the ones who already come from affluent families, potentially deepening wealth inequality further. Anna Bahney, CNN, 1 Mar. 2024 Tanzania had also fought a ruinous war with neighboring Uganda that toppled the dictator Idi Amin but deepened its own economic decline. Alan Cowell, New York Times, 29 Feb. 2024 The outer edge of a Pacific storm will begin moving into the region Thursday, causing the marine layer to deepen and throw off fog and mist in some areas, the National Weather Service said. Gary Robbins, San Diego Union-Tribune, 29 Feb. 2024 But top of the agenda was his warning against deepening Western involvement in Ukraine. Alexander Smith, NBC News, 29 Feb. 2024 Movies Review: ‘Dune: Part Two’ stirs its sands darkly, deepening a sci-fi masterpiece in our midst Feb. 21, 2024 Among the curious internet sleuths was Johnson, who tweeted his support for Ferguson. Alexandra Del Rosario, Los Angeles Times, 29 Feb. 2024 The nation’s property crisis is deepening, Shanghai stocks are cratering, deflationary pressures are intensifying and youth unemployment is at record highs. William Pesek, Forbes, 28 Feb. 2024 Recommended Trust Gaza: Why distrust of UN has deepened at a moment of greatest need Owning Discover’s network would enable Capital One to get revenue from fees charged for every merchant transaction that runs on the network. Ken Sweet, The Christian Science Monitor, 23 Feb. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'deepen.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

1600, in the meaning defined at transitive sense

Time Traveler
The first known use of deepen was in 1600

Dictionary Entries Near deepen

Cite this Entry

“Deepen.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/deepen. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

deepen

verb
deep·​en ˈdē-pən How to pronounce deepen (audio)
deepened; deepening ˈdēp-(ə-)niŋ How to pronounce deepen (audio)
: to make or become deep or deeper

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