Phrase guide

narrow down

verb · 3 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

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1

verb

Meaning 1

To make more specific.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: idiomatic

Examples

  • All the food on the menu looked delicious, so I tried to narrow down my choices to only healthy foods.
  • After consulting with witnesses, the police narrowed down the suspects to those who had facial hair.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

2

verb

Meaning 2

become more focus on an area of activity or field of study

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • She specializes in Near Eastern history

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: specialize, specialise, narrow

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: change, alter, vary

Narrower terms: overspecialize, overspecialise

3

verb

Meaning 3

define clearly

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • I cannot narrow down the rules for this game

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: pin down, peg down, nail down, narrow, specify

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: determine

Narrower terms: concretize

History

Etymology

No etymology was provided for this word.

Across languages

Translations

21 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Bulgarian: свеждам до (sveždam do) — to make more specific
  • German: einengen — to make more specific
  • German: eingrenzen — to make more specific
  • German: einschränken — to make more specific
  • German: zuspitzen — to make more specific
  • Latin: angustō — to make more specific
  • Russian: сузить (suzitʹ) — to make more specific
  • Spanish: limitar — to make more specific
  • Spanish: reducir — to make more specific
  • Spanish: restringir — to make more specific
  • Spanish: facilitar — to make more specific
  • Spanish: acotar — to make more specific
  • Spanish: ceñir — to make more specific
  • Spanish: acinturar — to make more specific
  • Spanish: estrechar — to make more specific
  • Spanish: angostar — to make more specific
  • Spanish: enangostar — to make more specific
  • Spanish: especificar — to make more specific
  • Spanish: particularizar — to make more specific
  • Spanish: precisar — to make more specific
  • Turkish: daraltmak — to make more specific