WEYE-duh-ning
/ˈwaɪdənɪŋ/
widening is pronounced WEYE-duh-ning (/ˈwaɪdənɪŋ/). Widening is the process or result of making something wider or larger in extent, scope, or range. It often refers to gradual expansion, such as gaps between objects, perspectives, or geographic boundaries, and can describe both physical and figurative growth. The term implies movement from a narrower to a broader condition, typically ongoing or progressive in nature.
Widening is the process or result of making something wider or larger in extent, scope, or range. It often refers to gradual expansion, such as gaps between objects, perspectives, or geographic boundaries, and can describe both physical and figurative growth. The term implies movement from a narrower to a broader condition, typically ongoing or progressive in nature.
"The widening of the river caused communities downstream to relocate."
"Policy discussions focused on the widening gap between rich and poor."
"The road widening project will require temporary detours for residents."
Pronounce as /ˈwaɪdənɪŋ/. The primary stress is on the first syllable: WIDE-uh-ning. Start with the diphthong /aɪ/ as in 'my', then the /d/ sound, followed by a schwa or reduced vowel in the second syllable: /dən/; finish with /ɪŋ/ as in 'sing'. In careful speech, you’ll hear two successive syllables before the final -ing: WIDE-dən-ing. Tone and rhythm should feel steady, not abrupt, to preserve clear syllable delineation.
Common mistakes include giving the second syllable full vowel instead of a schwa (/də/ vs /dən/), and misplacing stress by saying WEED-en-ing or WY-den-ing. Some speakers also insert an extra vowel between /d/ and /n/ or omit the /n/ sound at the transition (WIDE-dɪŋ). To fix: keep /dən/ with a light, neutral schwa and ensure the /n/ is clearly attached to the second syllable before the final /ɪŋ/.
In US and UK, primary stress remains on the first syllable: /ˈwaɪdənɪŋ/. US speakers may have a tighter /ɪŋ/ ending and a slightly reduced /ə/ in the middle, while UK speakers might prolong the /ɪŋ/ a touch and maintain crisper /d/ articulation. Australian speakers often shorten the middle vowel and blend more with a slightly broader mouth position, but the /ˈwaɪ/ onset and final /ŋ/ are consistent. Overall rhoticity has minimal impact here since /r/ is not present in this word.
The challenge lies in the sequence /ˈwaɪ/ + /dən/ + /ɪŋ/: you must execute a clean glide from /aɪ/ to /d/ without triggering an intrusive vowel, then rapidly reduce to a schwa before the /n/ and attach the final /ɪŋ/. Coordinating the alveolar (d) with the nasal (/n/) and the velar nasal (/ŋ/) requires precise tongue and jaw timing. Practicing the tri-syllabic rhythm helps avoid massing consonants and preserves the natural flow of the word.
A unique feature is the cluster transition from the alveolar /d/ to the nasal /n/ between unstressed schwa and final /ɪŋ/. The /dən/ sequence often feels quicker than expected, and careful listeners hear a subtle reduction in the middle vowel. Maintaining a light tongue position for /d/ and a clear yet quick /n/ helps the word sound natural and not overly deliberate. The first syllable carries the primary load, so the vowel and diphthong must be crisp.
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Widening derives from widen, formed from wide + -en, with the -ing gerund/participle suffix. The adjective wide (Old English wīd) has Germanic roots, related to Dutch wijd and German breit, all denoting breadth. The verb widen appears in Middle English as widenen, influenced by Old English wide and the suffix -en to form verbs. The participle widening follows the standard English -ing derivation used to indicate ongoing action or a state resulting from an action. The term’s sense of progressive expansion grew with industrial, geographic, and social contexts in which boundaries or distances were increased. First known uses appear in legal, geographic, and architectural texts discussing physical enlargement or extension, with broader scientific and economic discourse adopting the term in the 18th–19th centuries, reflecting systematic descriptions of process and scale.
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💡 These words have similar meanings to "widening" and can often be used interchangeably.
🔄 These words have opposite meanings to "widening" and show contrast in usage.
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Words that rhyme with "widening"
-ing sounds
Practice with these rhyming pairs to improve your pronunciation consistency:
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