broaden

American

[brawd-n] / ˈbrɔd n /

verb (used with or without object)

to become or make broad.

Synonyms:

sophisticate, educate, inform, enlighten, widen, enlarge, expand, extend

broaden British

/ ˈbrɔːdən /

verb

to make or become broad or broader; widen

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

Inflected Forms

Participles

Conjugated Forms

Present

Past

Future

Etymology

Origin of broaden

First recorded in 1720–30; broad + -en ¹

Explanation

To broaden something is to make it wider or more expansive. If you wake up feeling less than cheerful, the sight of the doughnuts your dad got for breakfast might broaden your smile. Something can broaden literally, like a river that broadens as you hike beside it, growing wider as it flows south. Things also broaden figuratively, the way people's minds tend to broaden when they travel around the world and meet people from different cultures. In both cases, things that broaden expand and become more open.

Keep Reading on Vocabulary.com

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.

Regulatory clarity from government involvement can establish durable rules, reduce tail risks, and broaden public acceptance of AI.

From Barron's • Jun. 9, 2026

It would also broaden the range of strategic options for Monte dei Paschi’s stake in Assicurazioni Generali, BPM said.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 8, 2026

The centre-back is on his own mission to broaden the reach of US youth development - "so that a kid like myself would never have to leave to chase the dream".

From BBC • Jun. 6, 2026

Because it does not broaden enough, it is blocked by the filters and removed from the cycle.

From Science Daily • Jun. 4, 2026

She could not travel abroad to other artists’ workshops to broaden her knowledge.

From "The Girl Who Drew Butterflies: How Maria Merian's Art Changed Science" by Joyce Sidman

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023