broadly

American  

[brawd-lee] / ˈbrɔd li /

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.

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Etymology

Origin of broadly

broad ( def. ) + -ly

Explanation

The adverb broadly is useful for describing something that's done in a general or approximate way. If you're broadly describing your new job, you're giving just the basic idea of it and leaving out the details. You're likely to see the word broadly within the phrase "broadly speaking." People often say this to mean "in general" or "on average." The word can also be used in a more literal way to mean "widely," as when you say, "The teacher seemed a little scary until she smiled broadly and welcomed them to class."

Example Sentences

The prospect of any of the megacap tech giants scaling back their AI capex is a worrisome one for tech investors broadly.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jul. 7, 2026

The fury from PlayStation die-hards, gamers more broadly, and even creators, has been absolutely boiling ever since the announcement, which earned thousands of aggrieved comments on the brand’s own website.

From Slate • Jul. 7, 2026

Energy-sector earnings will be affected in coming months, but the stock market more broadly will be underpinned by the forecast for “robust double digit earnings growth,” he adds.

From MarketWatch • Jul. 6, 2026

The under‑25s the BBC spoke to were broadly upbeat about the scheme.

From BBC • Jul. 2, 2026

She gestured broadly at the northern portion of the map, which was largely unmarked forest.

From "Huntress" by Malinda Lo

Related Words

• commonly
• customarily
• largely
• mostly
• normally
• ordinarily
• publicly
• roughly
• typically
• universally
• usually
• widely