deepened

Deepened is the past tense and past participle of the verb deepen. It denotes that something has become deeper, either physically or figuratively, or that a state or condition has intensified. In physical contexts, it describes increasing depth, such as a river or a hole: for example, the river deepened after the flood. In metaphorical or abstract contexts, it can indicate greater intensity or complexity: tensions deepened, understanding deepened, or the plot deepened. In art and color, tones can also deepen, meaning they become richer or darker.

Deepen is formed from the adjective deep plus the suffix -en; its usage dates to Middle English, with roots in Old English deop. The verb is regular: deepen, deepened, deepening. It can be transitive (“to deepen a trench”) or intransitive (“the lake deepened”). The past participle deepened is used in perfect tenses and passive constructions (“the trench has been deepened”).

Notable collocations include deepen one's understanding, deepen a relationship, deepen color, and deepen a mystery. The term is common in journalism, academic writing, and literary prose, where it conveys progression and growth in a non-numeric sense.