deepen

Universal Words verb 1 if an emotion or a feeling deepens, or if sth deepens it, it becomes stronger: [V] Their friendship soon deepened into love. [also VN] 2 to become worse; to make sth worse: [V] Warships were sent in as the crisis deepened. * a deepening economic recession [also VN] 3 [V] to become deeper; to make sth deeper: [V] The water deepened gradually. * His frown deepened. * [VN] There were plans to deepen a stretch of the river. 4 [VN] to improve your knowledge or understanding of sth: an opportunity for students to deepen their understanding of different cultures 5 [V, VN] if colour or light deepens or if sth deepens it, it becomes darker: deepening shadows 6 if a sound or voice deepens or if you deepen it, it becomes lower or you make it lower: [V] His voice deepened to a growl. [also VN] 7 [V] if your breathing deepens, you breathe more deeply than usual