broadly

[brawd-lee]

adverb

1. across a wide area.

   Seismologists say the earthquake was broadly felt because the hard granite in the area of the epicenter strongly conducts ground motion.

2. to a great extent; widely.

   Which of these principles and values do you think are the most broadly shared by your neighbors?

3. to a similar extent; generally.

   Production is expected to be broadly in line with last year’s, setting us up for another record harvest.

4. in a widely diffused or bright manner.

   The curtains opened, revealing several characters milling about on a broadly lit stage.

5. in a way that is not limited, narrow, or overly specific.

   Network-connected computers are broadly categorized as either servers or workstations.

6. in a plain, clear, or bold manner.

   She knew immediately that the broadly scrawled handwriting on the note was her brother’s.

   Most of the people in these photographs are grinning broadly and looking directly into the camera.

Word History and Origins

Origin of broadly¹

broad ( def. ) + -ly

Example Sentences

The euro was strengthening against the dollar, which broadly weakened.

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The US president said the model sold to the Saudis would be broadly similar to the one the Israelis operate.

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“Nice babies,” the old woman said, and smiled broadly.

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More broadly, business leaders across Europe have grown frustrated at the torrent of legislation that has been gushing from Brussels in recent years, not just covering tech.

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The number is broadly in line with weekly levels seen over the past 12 months, a reassuring sign that at least through the middle of last month, there was no large surge in layoffs.

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Related Words

• commonly 
• customarily www.thesaurus.com
• largely 
• mostly 
• normally 
• ordinarily 
• publicly 
• roughly 
• typically 
• universally 
• usually 
• widely