Word forms: 3rd person singular presenttense deepens, present participle deepening, past tense, past participle deepened
1. verb
If a situation or emotion deepens or if something deepens it, it becomes stronger and more intense.
If this is not stopped, the financial crisis will deepen. [VERB]
If anything, Sloan's uneasiness deepened. [VERB]
Surviving tough times can really deepen your relationship. [VERB noun]
2. verb
If you deepen your knowledge or understanding of a subject, you learn more about it and become more interested in it.
He did not get a chance to deepen his knowledge of Poland. [VERB noun]
3. ergative verb
When light or a colour deepens or is deepened, it becomes darker.
[literary]
Dusk was deepening as they drove back to the lights of Shillingham. [VERB]
This spice is used particularly in poultry feed to deepen the colour of egg yolks. [VERB noun]
Synonyms: darken, shade, make dark, make darker More Synonyms of deepen
4. verb
When a sound deepens or is deepened, it becomes lower in tone.
Her voice has deepened and coarsened with the years. [VERB]
The music room had been made to reflect and deepen sounds. [VERB noun]
5. verb
When your breathing deepens, or you deepen it, you take more air into your lungs when you breathe.
He heard her breathing deepen. [VERB]
When you are ready to finish the exercise, gradually deepen your breathing. [VERB noun]
6. verb
If people deepen something, they increase its depth by digging out its lower surface.
...a major project to deepen the channel. [VERB noun]
The tunnels have been widened and deepened. [VERB noun]
Synonyms: dig out, excavate, scoop out, hollow out More Synonyms of deepen
7. verb
Something such as a river or a sea deepens where the bottom begins to slope downwards.
As we drew nearer to it the water gradually deepened. [VERB]
More Synonyms of deepen
deepen in British English
(ˈdiːpən)
verb
to make or become deep, deeper, or more intense
Derived forms
deepener (ˈdeepener)
noun
deepen in American English
(ˈdipən)
verb transitive, verb intransitive
to make or become deep or deeper
Examples of 'deepen' in a sentence
deepen
Speaking about your feelings in a straightforward way adds understanding and deepens love.
The Sun (2016)
London has a deep and deepening housing crisis.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
While settled partners can talk with tact and honesty to deepen their relationship.
The Sun (2016)
Working on a project together deepens a love bond.
The Sun (2017)
Romantic relationships deepen now partners feel lucky to have each other.
The Sun (2016)
Sharing new experiences deepens the bond.
The Sun (2016)
Some of what you say surprises people, yet gets good results and a love relationship deepens.
The Sun (2016)
A psychic moon deepens your understanding of a partner.
The Sun (2016)
Manage stress: Slow and deepen your breathing to bring instant calm.
The Sun (2016)
The sun switches your intuition to full strength and you read secrets in other people's minds, deepening understanding and helping transform a love relationship.
The Sun (2016)
This is a painter whose power has gradually deepened over the centuries.
Times, Sunday Times (2006)
You see a different side to a partner and it deepens the relationship.
The Sun (2013)
You can add it to your lipstick to deepen the colour.
Times, Sunday Times (2008)
Your understanding deepens and you can see why other people behave as they do without getting upset.
The Sun (2010)
You see the hidden side of a partner and this deepens your bond.
The Sun (2016)
What your partner tells you today can deepen the relationship.
The Sun (2012)
Used particularly in poultry feed to deepen the colour of egg yolks.
Hanssen, Maurice & Marsden, Jill E For Additives (1987)
You reach a new kind of understanding with a partner that deepens a love bond.
The Sun (2006)
This is a plus factor at work and deepens a love relationship.
The Sun (2011)
For others it will deepen their understanding and enjoyment of seeing or reading plays.
Times, Sunday Times (2010)
You discover something new about a partner that deepens the bond between you.
The Sun (2016)
It is not too soon to consider how the deepening theological crisis may affect the future of this articulation.
Greeley, Andrew M. Sociology and Religion: A Collection of Readings (1995)
The political row over the deal deepened yesterday with angry exchanges in the Commons.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
His voice is already deepening, but the quality is still so beautiful.
Times, Sunday Times (2008)
BRITAIN'S steel crisis deepened yesterday as another 1,200 job cuts were confirmed.
The Sun (2015)
Her voice deepened, she grew facial hair.
The Sun (2006)
Two unique features of the credit crisis will deepen uncertainty in the short term, he said.
Times, Sunday Times (2008)
At a certain point on the walk, his voice would suddenly deepen.
Times, Sunday Times (2015)
As the crisis deepens, pressure is mounting to appease the rebels.
Times, Sunday Times (2012)
You can barely hear the Doctor's cries as your breathing deepens and increases.
Times, Sunday Times (2010)
The polite friendship between the two deepens into something that promises more, particularly when it becomes clear that their mutual spouses are involved with each other.
Times, Sunday Times (2015)
THE chaos in debt-laden Greece deepened yesterday as unions vowed to fight government cuts.
The Sun (2010)
In other languages
deepen
British English: deepen VERB
If a situation or emotion deepens or if something deepens it, it becomes stronger and more intense.
If this is not stopped, the financial crisis will deepen.
American English: deepen
Brazilian Portuguese: aprofundar
Chinese: 加剧
European Spanish: agravarse
French: s'aggraver
German: vertiefen
Italian: aggravare
Japanese: 深刻にする/深刻になる
Korean: 깊어지다
European Portuguese: aprofundar(-se)
Latin American Spanish: profundizarse
Chinese translation of 'deepen'
deepen
(ˈdiːpn)
vt
[hole]加深 (jiāshēn)
(= extend)[knowledge, awareness etc]加深 (jiāshēn)
[gloom, recession]使强(強)烈 (shǐ qiángliè)
vi
[crisis, feelings]深化 (shēnhuà)
[sound, voice]变(變)低沉 (biàn dīchén)
[river, sea etc]变(變)深 (biànshēn)
1 (verb)
Definition
to make or become deeper or more intense
Sloane's uneasiness deepened.Further job losses deepened the gloom.
Synonyms
intensify
They are intensifying their efforts to secure the release of the hostages.
increase
The company has increased the price of its cars.
grow
strengthen
Every day of sunshine strengthens the feeling of optimism.
reinforce
Troops and police have been reinforced.
escalate
Defeat could cause one side or the other to escalate the conflict.
magnify
The telescope magnifies images over 11 times.
augment
She was searching for a way to augment her income.
2 (verb)
an opportunity to deepen your understanding of people
Synonyms
extend
They have added three new products to extend their range.
develop
her dreams of developing her own business
encourage
Their task is to encourage private investment in Russia.
promote
His country will do everything possible to promote peace.
foster
They are keen to foster trading links with the West.
stimulate
I was stimulated to examine my deepest thoughts.
nurture
Seema's interest in literature was nurtured by her parents.
cultivate
She went out of her way to cultivate his friendship.
3 (verb)
Definition
to make or become deeper or more intense
a spice used in poultry feed to deepen the colour of egg yolks
Synonyms
darken
She darkened her eyebrows with mascara.
shade
a health resort whose beaches are shaded by palm trees
make dark
make darker
4 (verb)
Definition
to make or become deeper or more intense
The tunnels have been widened and deepened.
Synonyms
dig out
excavate
They have excavated the fossil remains of a prehistoric man.
scoop out
hollow out
make deeper
scrape out
Additional synonyms
in the sense of augment
Definition
to make or become greater in number or strength
She was searching for a way to augment her income.
Synonyms
increase,
grow,
raise,
extend,
boost,
expand,
add to,
build up,
strengthen,
enhance,
reinforce,
swell,
intensify,
heighten,
enlarge,
multiply,
inflate,
magnify,
amplify,
dilate
in the sense of cultivate
Definition
to develop or improve (something) by giving special attention to it
She went out of her way to cultivate his friendship.