verb
Uncommon
deepen
DEE-puhn
Deepen (verb) means to make or become deeper. Example: “Years of erosion deepened the canyon.”
verb
1
To make or become deeper.
"Years of erosion deepened the canyon."
"The river deepens sharply past the old bridge."
2
To make or become more intense, serious, or extreme.
"Their friendship deepened after they survived the crisis together."
"The recession deepened as more factories closed."
3
To make or become darker in colour, or lower in tone or pitch.
"The sky deepened to purple as the sun went down."
"His voice deepened noticeably during puberty."
How to use deepen
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishTo get deeper, more intense, or more serious — used for holes, colours, sounds, feelings, and situations alike.
Common pairings
deepen a crisis
deepen a relationship
the shadows deepened
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Word forms
- Third person singular
- deepens
- Past tense
- deepened
Fill the gap
Can you complete this real example?
Years of erosion _____ the canyon.
Etymology
From deep + the verb-forming suffix -en, the same pattern seen in "widen" and "harden."
Related words
Frequently asked questions
What does “deepen” mean?
The word “deepen” means to make or become deeper. In plain terms, to get deeper, more intense, or more serious — used for holes, colours, sounds, feelings, and situations alike.
How do you pronounce “deepen”?
“Deepen” is pronounced DEE-puhn (/ˈdiːpən/ in IPA).
How do you use “deepen” in a sentence?
Here is “deepen” used in a sentence: “Years of erosion deepened the canyon.”
What is another word for “deepen”?
Words with a similar meaning to “deepen” include depthen.
What part of speech is “deepen”?
“Deepen” is a verb.
Is “deepen” a common word?
“Deepen” is an uncommon word in modern English.
How many meanings does “deepen” have?
“Deepen” has 3 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: to make or become deeper.
