broaden

American  

[brawd-n] / ˈbrɔd n /

verb (used with or without object)

1. to become or make broad.

   Synonyms:

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

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broaden British  

/ ˈbrɔːdən /

verb

1. to make or become broad or broader; widen

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Other Word Forms

• overbroaden verb
• rebroaden verb
• unbroadened adjective

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.

Example Sentences

"We now know that we need to broaden our view when looking for early sponges."

From Science Daily • Apr. 15, 2026

Deutsche Bank said earnings growth would broaden out across sectors, with 10 of 11 in positive territory, led by megacap growth and tech.

From MarketWatch • Apr. 9, 2026

Nvidia invested $2 billion in Marvell Technology to broaden the use of its hardware and enable semi-custom AI infrastructure.

From Barron's • Mar. 31, 2026

"This project, however, shows how working with partners can broaden engagement and demonstrates our enhanced commitment to making our collections available to a wider audience than ever before," he said.

From BBC • Mar. 31, 2026

I saw the drive broaden to the sweep I had expected, and with the blood-red wall still flanking us on either side; we turned the last corner, and so came to Manderley.

From "Rebecca" by Daphne du Maurier

Related Words

• augment
• develop
• enlarge
• expand
• increase
• open up
• widen