noun
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the linear extent or measurement of something from side to side, usually being the shortest dimension or (for something fixed) the shortest horizontal dimension
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the state or fact of being wide
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a piece or section of something at its full extent from side to side
a width of cloth
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the distance across a rectangular swimming bath, as opposed to its length
Other Word Forms
Noun Inflected Forms
Etymology
Origin of width
Explanation
The noun width means the measurement of an object from one side to the other. The width of your twin bed is less than the width of your parents' queen-sized bed. When you're talking about the dimensions of something, specifically how wide it is, you're discussing its width. The width of your backyard might not lend itself to a full croquet court, but you can still play horseshoes back there. And the width of the streets in some Midwestern cities might surprise you if you're used to narrow New England roads. Before the word width gained popularity in the 1620s, people used the now less common wideness instead.
Vocabulary lists containing width
Geometry - Introductory
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Measurement and Data, List 2
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Geometry (Base List)
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
The midfield are unable to cover the width of the pitch, getting drawn to the ball.
From BBC • Jun. 26, 2026
One widely used approach defines microplastics as any fragment of plastic that is less than 5mm - about the width of a wedding band.
From BBC • Jun. 15, 2026
Designers offer adult-education “Aging in Place” classes, offering tips on doorway width, lighting and furniture placement.
From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 13, 2026
“Bollinger Band width remains relatively subdued, and when paired with a break below the lower band, it often signals the start of a new directional move.”
From Barron's • Jun. 11, 2026
It’s hard to imagine something with no width and no height—with no substance at all—being a square.
From "Zero: The Biography of a Dangerous Idea" by Charles Seife
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
