Synonyms

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

overbroaden verb
rebroaden verb
unbroadened adjective

Etymology

Origin of broaden

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

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.

This year might also be a favorable time for broadening lending, with many Americans expecting higher tax refunds in 2026, in addition to other affordability measures in the works.

From The Wall Street Journal

With membership broadening, this demo has lost a bit of its influence over the years.

From Los Angeles Times

Analysts led by Daan Struyven say “key upside risk” — a broadening diversification into gold from the official to the private sector, is starting to happen.

From MarketWatch

A broadening in earnings growth beyond the tech sector is also likely, most notably in the materials, industrials and consumer-discretionary sectors, he adds.

From The Wall Street Journal

By simplifying the process and expanding what is technically possible, this approach significantly broadens the potential for developing bacteriophages as targeted therapies against antibiotic-resistant infections.

From Science Daily

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