NARROWING Synonyms: 30 Similar and Opposite Words

narrowing

verb

present participle of narrow

as in tightening

Related Words

Relevance

Dissimilar Words

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of Synonyms for narrowing

Verb

Its analysis suggests a CPI rate above 3% has historically corresponded with more than 100 basis points of tightening during the first year of Fed hiking cycles.

— Lee Ying Shan, CNBC, 18 Aug. 2026
How Wells Fargo and Truist handle work-from-home Bank of America is not the only local financial institution tightening its office attendance requirements.

— Charlotte Observer, Charlotte Observer, 13 Aug. 2026

Definition of tightening

Verb

Rain chances While there’s a chance for a fourth heat advisory Saturday the likelihood is lessening given rain is in the forecast.

— Howard Cohen, Miami Herald, 31 July 2026
To push back, Julien Pouille, who leads the climate and health strategic team and is lead author of the report, argues that lessening reliance on petrochemical products would help mitigate rising medicine costs and improve the climate.

— Ed Silverman, STAT, 30 July 2026

Definition of lessening

Verb

Lynda Albertson, an art-crime analyst, said the works are instantly recognizable, impeding any effort to sell them through reputable channels.

— ABC News, ABC News, 16 Aug. 2026
Lynda Albertson, an art crime analyst, said the works are instantly recognizable, impeding any effort to sell them through reputable channels.

— Colleen Barry, Los Angeles Times, 16 Aug. 2026

Definition of impeding

Verb

Delays connecting new power plants to the grid are hampering progress.

— Laurent Belsie, Christian Science Monitor, 4 Aug. 2026
Toub said the only scenario in which a rookie wouldn’t participate in special teams is because of an injury — such as the shoulder issue that’s currently hampering the Chiefs’ first-round draft pick, cornerback Mansoor Delane.

— Pete Sweeney, Kansas City Star, 1 Aug. 2026

Definition of hampering

Verb

Meanwhile, most of the industry's leading players contend that restricting use of the models would be to our own detriment and would place too much power in the hands of too few companies.

— Jonathan Vanian, CNBC, 12 Aug. 2026
The United States should expect Beijing to continue to wield its agriculture sector for geopolitical influence, whether through curtailing imports of food, restricting exports of select commodities, or both.

— Caitlin Welsh, Foreign Affairs, 11 Aug. 2026

Definition of restricting

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Cite this Entry

Style

“Narrowing.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/narrowing. Accessed 20 Aug. 2026.

Copy Citation

Synonyms of narrowing

verb

Example Sentences

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

More from Merriam-Webster on narrowing

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

divulge

Popular in Grammar & Usage

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

7 Pairs of Commonly Confused Words

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide

Do you 'say your piece' or 'say your peace'?

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?

Popular in Wordplay

Words from the 'Odyssey'

The Longest Long Words List

It's a Scorcher! Words for the Summer Heat

Is “GIF” Pronounced “Jiff” or “Giff”?

12 Lovely and Unusual Words for the Natural World

Popular

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

Words from the 'Odyssey'

The Longest Long Words List

Games & Quizzes