abroad

[ uh-brawd ]

/ əˈbrɔd /

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adverb

in or to a foreign country or countries: famous at home and abroad.

in or to another continent: Shall we go to Mexico or abroad this summer?

out of doors; from one place to another; about: No one was abroad in the noonday heat. The owl ventures abroad at night.

spread around; in circulation: Rumors of disaster are abroad.

broadly; widely; far and wide.

wide of the mark; in error.

noun

a foreign land or lands: imports from abroad.

RELATED WORDS

overseas, elsewhere, away, touring

Nearby words

Origin of abroad

First recorded in 1225–75, abroad is from the Middle English word abrod. See a-¹, broad

SYNONYMS FOR abroad

1. overseas. 3. out, outside. 4. everywhere, rife.

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ANTONYMS FOR abroad

1. at home.

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Can be confusedaboard abort abroad

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Examples from the Web for abroad

Even after he became a citizen in 1955, he regarded himself as an Englishman abroad.
Alfred Hitchcock’s Fade to Black: The Great Director’s Final Days|David Freeman|December 13, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Amanda came home to largely welcoming American arms, her case held up as an example of hostility to Americans abroad.
Amanda Knox: A Mother’s Obsession|Nina Darnton|November 26, 2014|DAILY BEAST
As talks get underway again in Vienna, many voices are raised against them on Capitol Hill and abroad.
It’s Time to Nail the Iran Nuke Deal|Rep. Rush Holt, Kate Gould|October 15, 2014|DAILY BEAST
In response, Iran has carried out mass arrests at home—and backed a series of offensives against ISIS abroad.
Iran Says It’s Under Attack by ISIS|Jassem Al Salami|October 9, 2014|DAILY BEAST

And once again with ISIS we have seen universal condemnation by Muslims leaders in the United States and abroad.
Why Muslims Hate Terrorism More|Dean Obeidallah|August 12, 2014|DAILY BEAST
What mattered anything that night, when all hearts were light, and youth was abroad?
Our Little Polish Cousin|Florence E. Mendel
Mr. B. was a profound classic and linguist and member of several learned societies in England and abroad.
The Mirror of Literature, Amusement, and Instruction, Vol. 12, Issue 323, July 19, 1828|Various
They tried it out at home and when it proved a success, they carried it abroad.
Ancient Man|Hendrik Willem van Loon
As an editor and commentator he enjoyed a high reputation both at home and abroad.
Encyclopaedia Britannica, 11th Edition, Volume 13, Slice 7|Various
With us, education is a commodity to be trafficked in: abroad, it is a duty.
Harper's New Monthly Magazine, Volume 1, No. 2, July, 1850.|Various

British Dictionary definitions for abroad

abroad

/ (əˈbrɔːd) /

adverb

to or in a foreign country or countries

adjective (postpositive)

(of news, rumours, etc) in general circulation; current

out in the open

over a wide area

archaic in error

Word Origin for abroad

C13: from a- ² + broad

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

Word Origin and History for abroad

abroad

adv.

mid-13c., "widely apart," from Old English on brede, which meant something like "at wide" (see broad (adj.)). The sense "out of doors, away from home" (late 14c.) led to the main modern sense of "out of one's country, overseas" (mid-15c.).