From Longman Dictionary of Contemporary Englishdeependeep‧en /ˈdiːpən/ ●●○ verb 1 get worse [intransitive]WORSE if a serious situation deepens, it gets worse – used especially in news reports The recession continues to deepen. a deepening international crisis2 become stronger [intransitive, transitive]INCREASE IN ACTIVITY, FEELINGS ETC to become stronger or greater, or to make something stronger or greater Jeanne liked Simon as a friend but she did not want the relationship to deepen. The idea only deepened his gloom. The mystery deepened (=became even more mysterious). Students explore new ideas as they deepen their understanding (=understand more) of the subject.3 expression on somebody’s face [intransitive] literary if someone’s smile or frown deepens, they smile even more or frown even more Her worried frown deepened.4 water [intransitive, transitive]DEEP if water deepens, or if someone deepens it, it becomes deeper The river deepens beyond the town. The harbour was deepened to take bigger boats.5 colour [intransitive]COLOUR/COLOR literary if light or a colour deepens, it becomes darker The twilight deepened. 6 sound [intransitive]LOW SOUND OR VOICE if a sound deepens, it becomes lower His voice deepened as he relaxed.7 breath [intransitive] if your breathing deepens, you take more air into your lungs→ See Verb table
Examples from the Corpus
deepen• As she watched the nuns working among the sick and dying, her respect for them deepened.• With every new day, her despair only seemed to deepen.• The company's legal and financial problems are deepening.• It didn't seem possible for her love to deepen and grow, but it did.• And how would her husband regard this deepening commitment to a faith he did not fully share?• Some principals worry that the decision will deepen divisions between rich and poor schools.• The river deepens five feet from the shore.• Johnny tried to deepen his voice to sound like a grown-up.• As the crisis deepened, it became clear that the government was losing control.• Each regime of control is boosted by deepening loops of feedback and information flow.• The natural fabric's color deepens over time.• The recession may deepen still further.• The agreement will deepen the firm's ties to Japan's electronics companies.• The recession has deepened, the huge national debt has increased, the people's lot worsened.• Government measures to peg back inflation have deepened the recession.• Traveling allows young people to deepen their understanding of other cultures.• As it deepens towards black, it assumes overtones of a superhuman sorrow. 