narrowed
narrowed — verb
- narrowedpresent simple I / you / we / they
- narroweds3rd person singular
- narroweding-ing form
- narrowededpast simple
1. to reduce the distance between the two sides of something, or to become smaller
to reduce the distance between the two sides of something, or to become smaller in width across
Beatriz narrowed her eyes suspiciously as she read the fine print.
narrow + object: narrow one's eyes
The road suddenly narrows just past the old church, so drivers must slow down.
intransitive: road / path / river narrows
After years of poor diet, the doctor said William's arteries had narrowed dangerously.
Nikos narrowed the gap between the two bookshelves to make room for a desk.
The river narrows to less than ten metres wide near the old stone bridge.
文法句型
narrow + noun phrase
narrow (with no object)
用法筆記
Often used with adverbs like 'gradually', 'slowly', or 'suddenly' to describe how the change happens. The transitive use takes a concrete object (road, gap, eyes, passage).
常見錯誤
2. to reduce the number of possibilities, choices, or subjects being considered, or
to reduce the number of possibilities, choices, or subjects being considered, or to become more limited in range
The police narrowed their search to three streets near the park where the car was last seen.
narrow + search / investigation + to [specific set]
After weeks of interviews, Jin narrowed the job candidates down to just two people.
narrow down + options / list / candidates
Mira's research interests narrowed as she focused more on climate change in coastal cities.
The difference in price between the two flats has narrowed since the market slowed down.
Omar narrowed his essay topic from global poverty to early education in rural areas.
文法句型
narrow down + noun phrase
narrow + noun phrase (to + noun phrase)
用法筆記
Frequently used with the particle 'down' (narrow down) when referring to selecting from a larger set. The sense is metaphorical — nothing physical becomes thinner.
常見錯誤
narrowed — adjective
- narrowedpositive
- more narrowedcomparative
- most narrowedsuperlative
1. with edges that are close to each other, making the distance across much smaller
with edges that are close to each other, making the distance across much smaller than the distance along
The Patel family lives on a narrow street where two cars cannot pass each other.
narrow + street / road / path
Zuri squeezed through the narrow gap between the fence and the wall to retrieve her ball.
The old wooden bed was too narrow for two people to sleep on comfortably.
Allison chose a narrow ribbon to tie around the small gift box.
William and Noa walked along a narrow path that wound through the tall grass leading to the lake.
文法句型
narrow + noun (street, bed, space)
常見錯誤
2. limited in range of interests, ideas, or activities; not willing to accept diffe
limited in range of interests, ideas, or activities; not willing to accept different ways of thinking or behaving
Noa has a very narrow view of what makes good music and refuses to listen to anything else.
narrow view / outlook / perspective
The article took a narrow approach to the problem and ignored several important factors.
A narrow-minded person often rejects ideas that come from outside their own culture.
Devika felt that her small town had a narrow range of job opportunities for young graduates.
Omar's narrow understanding of history came from reading only one textbook during his school years.
- limited
less negative; focuses on scope rather than unwillingness
- restricted
implies an external constraint rather than a personal attitude
- insular
formal; suggests lack of contact with the outside world
- broad
covering a wide range of subjects or interests
- open-minded
willing to consider new ideas and different opinions
文法句型
narrow + noun (view, mind, sense)
用法筆記
Often has a negative connotation. The compound adjective 'narrow-minded' is more common in informal speech than 'narrow' used alone for this sense.
常見錯誤
3. achieved or avoided by a very small margin; almost not happening or barely enoug
achieved or avoided by a very small margin; almost not happening or barely enough to succeed
Amihan won the election by a narrow margin of only forty-two votes.
narrow margin + of [number]
The driver had a narrow escape when a tree fell onto the road just behind his car.
narrow escape / narrow miss
Our team secured a narrow victory in the final minute of the basketball game.
The chess champion suffered a narrow defeat in the final match, losing by just half a point.
The new law passed with a narrow majority, so it may be challenged again next session.
- comfortable
a win or margin that leaves no doubt about the outcome
- wide
a large margin: 'a wide majority'
文法句型
narrow + noun (victory, escape, majority)
用法筆記
Applied to outcomes, results, and close calls. Does NOT describe physical space — use sense 1 (NOT WIDE) for physical narrowness.
常見錯誤
narrowed — noun
1. a narrow section of a river, a strait, or a pathway connecting two wider areas
a narrow section of a river, a strait, or a pathway connecting two wider areas
The boat slowly passed through the narrows where the river was at its most dangerous.
the narrows (plural, geographical feature)
Lucía and Jin hiked to a narrow in the canyon where the walls were only three metres apart.
The narrows between the islands are only passable when the tide is high.
Fishermen know that fish gather in the narrows where the current speeds up between the rocks.
文法句型
the narrows (plural)
a narrow + of + noun
用法筆記
Most commonly used in the plural form 'the narrows' to refer to a specific geographical narrow passage. The singular 'a narrow' is much less frequent.