deepen

deepen — verb

1. to dig or cut a hollow space such as a hole, well, or channel so that it reaches

1.動詞及物 / 不及物B1
釋義

to dig or cut a hollow space such as a hole, well, or channel so that it reaches further down, or for such a space to grow deeper on its own

例句

The workers deepened the well so the village would have more water.

transitive: deepen + physical object (well, hole, channel)

As Lakan dug, the hole deepened quickly in the soft soil.

intransitive: hole / river deepens

同義詞
  • dig out

    less formal, refers to the action of removing material rather than the result

  • scoop out

    implies using a scooping tool; more specific to small-scale actions

反義詞
  • fill in

    opposite action — adding material to reduce depth

  • shallow

    rarely used as a verb; 'become shallower' is the common expression

文法句型

deepen + object (hole, well, river, channel)

something deepens (the hole, river, channel deepens)

用法筆記

Common with physical objects such as wells, holes, channels, rivers, and containers. The intransitive use often describes natural processes like erosion or excavation.

常見錯誤

❌They deepened the hole more deeper.
✅They deepened the hole further.
💡'deepen' already includes the idea of becoming deeper; 'more deeper' is a double comparative.

2. when an emotion such as love, trust, or concern grows stronger over time, or whe

2.動詞及物 / 不及物B1
釋義

when an emotion such as love, trust, or concern grows stronger over time, or when a person or experience makes that feeling more powerful

例句

Ife's love for her community deepened over the years she volunteered there.

intransitive: feeling deepens over time

Nikhil's frustration deepened when he could not fix the broken pipe himself.

同義詞
  • intensify

    more forceful; often used for negative emotions (anger, fear)

  • heighten

    suggests an increase in awareness or sensitivity rather than emotional power

  • strengthen

    broader; can apply to relationships, bonds, or resolve

反義詞
  • weaken

    the most direct opposite for feelings and emotions

  • fade

    suggests gradual loss of emotional strength over time

文法句型

deepen + object (love, trust, respect, concern)

something deepens (a feeling, emotion, bond deepens)

deepen + over time

用法筆記

Often used with emotion nouns: love, trust, respect, sadness, worry, fear, frustration. The intransitive form commonly pairs with 'over time' or 'as' to show gradual change.

常見錯誤

❌Her love deepened for him.' (sounds awkward in English)
✅Her love for him deepened.
💡place 'for [person]' before the verb in the intransitive pattern.

3. to become more serious or extreme, or to make a problem, disagreement, or unders

3.動詞及物 / 不及物B2
釋義

to become more serious or extreme, or to make a problem, disagreement, or understanding greater in degree

例句

The economic crisis deepened as more factories closed across the region.

intransitive: crisis / problem deepens

Asher's year abroad deepened his understanding of Japanese culture.

transitive: deepen understanding / knowledge of something

同義詞
  • intensify

    more common for negative situations (conflict, crisis); slightly stronger in tone

  • worsen

    exclusively negative; cannot be used for knowledge or understanding

  • escalate

    implies a step-by-step increase; often used for conflict or tension

反義詞
  • ease

    suggests a reduction in seriousness or intensity

  • resolve

    specifically for problems or disagreements being settled

  • lessen

    general opposite for degree or intensity

文法句型

deepen + object (crisis, conflict, understanding, knowledge)

something deepens (a problem, crisis, recession deepens)

deepen + understanding / knowledge + of

用法筆記

Can apply to negative situations (crisis, conflict, recession) or positive intellectual growth (knowledge, understanding). The positive use with 'understanding' or 'knowledge' is common in educational and professional contexts.

常見錯誤

❌I want to deepen my knowledge about history.
✅I want to deepen my knowledge of history.
💡'deepen knowledge' takes 'of', not 'about'.

4. if a voice or sound deepens, it becomes lower in tone or pitch

4.動詞及物 / 不及物B2
釋義

if a voice or sound deepens, it becomes lower in tone or pitch

例句

Haruto's voice deepened when he turned fourteen years old.

intransitive: voice deepens with age

Eric deepened his voice to sound more serious during the presentation.

transitive: deepen + voice deliberately

同義詞
  • lower

    more general; 'lower your voice' often means speak more quietly, not at a lower pitch

反義詞
  • rise

    opposite direction in pitch; 'his voice rose in excitement'

  • raise

    transitive opposite — 'raise your voice' means speak louder or at a higher pitch

文法句型

deepen + object (voice, sound)

something deepens (voice, sound, tone deepens)

用法筆記

Typically describes natural voice change during adolescence or deliberate vocal control for dramatic effect. Less common with non-human sounds, though possible (e.g., 'the engine's roar deepened').

5. to become darker and richer in colour or shade, or to make something this way

5.動詞及物 / 不及物B2
釋義

to become darker and richer in colour or shade, or to make something this way

例句

The evening sky deepened to a rich shade of purple as the sun set.

intransitive: sky / colour deepens

João deepened the blue in his painting by adding a second layer of paint.

transitive: deepen + colour in art

同義詞
  • darken

    more direct and common; 'deepen' adds a sense of richness and saturation

  • intensify

    broader; can apply to any colour attribute, not just darkness

反義詞
  • lighten

    the most direct opposite — make paler or brighter

  • fade

    suggests loss of colour intensity, not just brightness

文法句型

deepen + object (colour, shadow)

something deepens (sky, colour, shadow deepens)

用法筆記

Frequently used with natural light changes (sky, shadows, twilight) and in artistic contexts (paint, dye, photography). Often implies a richer, more saturated darkness rather than simply 'darker'.