deepen

verb

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

transitive verb

: to make deep or deeper

intransitive verb

: to become deeper or more profound

Synonyms

See All Synonyms & Antonyms in Thesaurus

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.
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Both prove facile stabs at deepening their male counterparts. — J. Kim Murphy, Variety, 14 Mar. 2025 What’s Next: The Fed, Earnings, and More Tariff Talk As investors look forward, the focus shifts to a few catalysts that could either stabilize markets or deepen the decline: The Federal Reserve’s next moves, a fresh batch of economic data, Russia Ukraine Peace talks, and the ongoing trade war. — Adam Sarhan, Forbes, 14 Mar. 2025 The plan now is to focus on deepening customer relationships with measures like Hugo Boss’ loyalty program, which has grown to 10 million members. — Cathrin Schaer, WWD, 13 Mar. 2025 Concerns about the state’s finances have deepened as the Trump administration has begun cutting grants and other federal programs. — Ernesto Londoño, New York Times, 12 Mar. 2025 See All Example Sentences for deepen

Word History

First Known Use

1600, in the meaning defined at transitive sense

Time Traveler
The first known use of deepen was in 1600

Rhymes for deepen

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Browse Nearby Words

deepen
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Cite this Entry

“Deepen.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/deepen. Accessed 21 Mar. 2025.

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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

More from Merriam-Webster on deepen

Nglish: Translation of deepen for Spanish Speakers

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