The width of something is the distance it measures from one side or edge to the other.
Measure the full width of the window. [+ of]
The road was reduced to 18ft in width by adding parking bays.
Saddles are made in a wide range of different widths.
2. uncountable noun [usually with poss]
The width of something is its quality of being wide.
The best utensil for steaming is a wok because its width easily accommodates a wholefish.
3. countable noun
A width is the distance from one side of a swimming pool to the other.
We swam several widths.
More Synonyms of width
width in British English
(wɪdθ)
noun
1.
the linear extent or measurement of something from side to side, usually being the shortest dimension or (for something fixed) the shortest horizontal dimension
2.
the state or fact of being wide
3.
a piece or section of something at its full extent from side to side
a width of cloth
4.
the distance across a rectangular swimming bath, as opposed to its length
Word origin
C17: from wide + -th1, analogous to breadth
width in American English
(wɪdθ; wɪtθ)
noun
1.
the fact, quality, or condition of being wide; wideness
2.
the size of something in terms of how wide it is; distance from side to side
3.
a piece of something of a certain width
two widths of cloth
Word origin
< wide, by analogy with length, breadth
Examples of 'width' in a sentence
width
There have long been restrictions on the width and length of cricket bats, but modern bats have grown exponentially, especially in the depth of the edges.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
We have more width and the full backs play farther forward.
Times, Sunday Times (2013)
He provides width and can cut inside.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
The length and width of the desks are the same.
Times, Sunday Times (2007)
Cut the tentacles into pieces the width of the mould.
Times, Sunday Times (2007)
You should land with your arms over your head and your feet more than hip width apart.
Times, Sunday Times (2014)
Pin and stitch one half width to outside edge of each full width with plain flat seams.
Churchill, Jane (ed.) Collins Complete Books of Soft Furnishings (1993)
Again the width will be provided by the full backs.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
Peel the aubergines with a potato peeler to obtain ribbons of skin uniform in length and width.
Conil, Jean & Conil, Christopher (ed) A Passion for Food (1989)
Confidence is a far bigger prerequisite than the length or width of your legs.
Times, Sunday Times (2013)
The match had begun at a furious pace with both sides looking to use the full width of the pitch.
Times, Sunday Times (2012)
There is a manned signal box at the crossing and the barriers cover the full width of the road when closed.
The Sun (2010)
They offered their team the pace and width that could prove crucial in the run-in.
The Sun (2016)
Again, we want our bedroom sprawling across the width of three windows.
Times, Sunday Times (2014)
They can't jam the whole width of it.
Len Deighton Bomber
We must use width, tempo and efficiency.
The Sun (2006)
The Italian club were bitterly disappointing in the first leg when they lacked pace and width.
Times, Sunday Times (2011)
No one told you what width pen to use -- you imposed your own barrier.
O'Keeffe, John Your One Week Way to Mind-Fitness (1994)
Method two is to cast on with a full width of stitches and to continue with identical rows until the square is completed.
Times, Sunday Times (2014)
The whole width of the house, reaching out as far as the old terrace and a chunk of the original lawn.
Times, Sunday Times (2015)
Instead, the designers claim will obey the limit because the road width has been reduced to leave vehicles only just enough room to squeeze past each other.
Times, Sunday Times (2008)
The pair had to track back to protect their full backs, provide the attacking width, and also cut inside to assist midfield.
Times, Sunday Times (2015)
In other languages
width
British English: width /wɪdθ/ NOUN
The width of something is the distance that it measures from one side to the other.
Measure the full width of the window.
American English: width
Arabic: عُرْض
Brazilian Portuguese: largura
Chinese: 宽度
Croatian: širina
Czech: šířka
Danish: bredde
Dutch: breedte
European Spanish: anchura
Finnish: leveys
French: largeur
German: Breite
Greek: πλάτος
Italian: larghezza
Japanese: 幅
Korean: 폭
Norwegian: bredde
Polish: szerokość
European Portuguese: largura
Romanian: întindere
Russian: ширина
Latin American Spanish: anchura
Swedish: bredd
Thai: ความกว้าง
Turkish: genişlik
Ukrainian: ширина
Vietnamese: chiều rộng
Chinese translation of 'width'
width
(wɪdθ)
n
(c/u)宽(寬)度 (kuāndù)
(c) (in swimming pool) 池宽(寬) (chíkuān)
it's 7 metres in width它的宽(寬)度为(為)7米 (tā de kuāndù wéi qī mǐ)
(noun)
Definition
the extent or measurement of something from side to side
The width of the road has been increased to 20 ft.
Synonyms
breadth
The breadth of his knowledge filled me with admiration.
extent
an estate about seven or eight acres in extent
span
The bridge has a span of 579 feet.
wideness
reach
Luckily, the phone was in easy reach.
range
The trees on the mountain within my range of vision had all been felled.
measure
The colonies were claiming a larger measure of self-government.
scope
the scope of a novel
diameter
the diameter of a human hair
compass
Within the compass of a book of this size, such a comprehensive survey is not practicable.
thickness
a sheet of glass of negligible thickness
girth
Additional synonyms
in the sense of compass
Definition
limits or range
Within the compass of a book of this size, such a comprehensive survey is not practicable.
Synonyms
range,
field,
area,
reach,
scope,
sphere,
limit,
stretch,
bound,
extent,
zone,
boundary,
realm
in the sense of diameter
Definition
the length of such a line
the diameter of a human hair
Synonyms
breadth,
span,
width,
spread,
beam,
latitude,
broadness,
wideness,
calibre,
bore
in the sense of extent
Definition
the length, area, or size of something
an estate about seven or eight acres in extent
Synonyms
size,
area,
range,
length,
reach,
bounds,
sweep,
sphere,
width,
compass,
breadth,
ambit
Synonyms of 'width'
width
Explore 'width' in the dictionary
Additional synonyms
in the sense of measure
Definition
the size, quantity, or degree of something, as discovered by measurement or calculation
The colonies were claiming a larger measure of self-government.
Synonyms
quantity,
share,
amount,
degree,
reach,
range,
size,
capacity,
extent,
proportion,
allowance,
portion,
scope,
quota,
ration,
magnitude,
allotment,
amplitude
in the sense of range
The trees on the mountain within my range of vision had all been felled.
Synonyms
scope,
area,
field,
bounds,
province,
orbit,
span,
domain,
compass,
latitude,
radius,
amplitude,
purview,
sphere
in the sense of reach
Definition
the extent or distance of reaching
Luckily, the phone was in easy reach.
Synonyms
grasp,
range,
distance,
stretch,
sweep,
capacity,
extent,
extension,
scope
in the sense of scope
Definition
the area covered by an activity or topic
the scope of a novel
Synonyms
range,
capacity,
reach,
area,
extent,
confines,
outlook,
orbit,
span,
sphere,
compass,
remit,
terms of reference,
ambit,
purview,
field of reference
in the sense of span
Definition
the complete extent
The bridge has a span of 579 feet.
Synonyms
extent,
reach,
spread,
length,
distance,
stretch
in the sense of thickness
Definition
the dimension through an object, as opposed to length or width