broadcast
Americanverb (used with object)
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to transmit (programs) from a radio or television station.
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to speak, perform, sponsor, or present on a radio or television program.
The president will broadcast his message on all stations tonight.
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to cast or scatter abroad over an area, as seed in sowing.
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to spread widely; disseminate.
She broadcast the good news all over town.
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to indicate unwittingly to another (one's next action); telegraph.
He broadcast his punch and the other man was able to parry it.
verb (used without object)
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to transmit programs or signals from a radio or television station.
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to make something known widely; disseminate something.
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to speak, perform, sponsor, or present all or part of a radio or television program.
The Boston Symphony Orchestra broadcasts every Saturday on our local station.
noun
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something that is broadcast.
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a single radio or television program.
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the broadcasting of radio or television messages, speeches, etc.
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a single period of broadcasting
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a method of sowing by scattering seed.
adjective
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(of programs) transmitted from a radio or television station.
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of or relating to broadcasting.
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cast abroad or all over an area, as seed scattered widely.
adverb
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so as to reach the greatest number of people by radio or television.
The vital news was sent broadcast to inform the entire nation.
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so as to be cast abroad over an area.
seed sown broadcast.
verb
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to transmit (announcements or programmes) on radio or television
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(intr) to take part in a radio or television programme
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(tr) to make widely known throughout an area
to broadcast news
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(tr) to scatter (seed, etc) over an area, esp by hand
noun
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a transmission or programme on radio or television
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( as modifier )
a broadcast signal
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the act of scattering seeds
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( as modifier )
the broadcast method of sowing
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adjective
adverb
Usage
What does broadcast mean? Broadcast means to transmit a television or radio program, as in The network broadcasted cartoons every Saturday morning. In this sense a broadcast can be a single TV or radio program, as in the 6 o’clock news broadcast. Broadcast also means to deliver a message on a transmitted program, as in The police broadcasted the press release on the evening news. More generally, broadcast means to spread something widely, as in She broadcasted her recent wedding engagement to all of her family members. Related to this sense, a broadcast can be news or something similar that you share widely, like your broadcast to your classmates about the A you got on the test. Broadcast also means to mistakenly make a next move obvious, as in The boxer broadcasted his punch with a flashy windup. Example: Coverage of the awards ceremony was the leading story on every news broadcast.
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Conjugated Forms
Present
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has broadcastedperfect 3rd person singular
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have broadcastperfect
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have broadcastedperfect
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has broadcastperfect 3rd person singular
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has been broadcastingperfect progressive 3rd person singular
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am broadcastingprogressive 1st person singular
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have been broadcastingperfect progressive
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is broadcastingprogressive 3rd person singular
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are broadcastingprogressive
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broadcastssingular 3rd person
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broadcastingparticiple
Past
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had broadcastperfect
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had broadcastedperfect
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had been broadcastingperfect progressive
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was broadcastingprogressive singular
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were broadcastingprogressive plural
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broadcastedparticiple
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broadcastparticiple
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broadcastsimple
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broadcastedsimple
Future
Etymology
Origin of broadcast
First recorded in 1760–70; originally, broad (adverb) + cast, past participle of cast ( def. )
Explanation
To broadcast is to air a program, especially on TV or radio. It also means to tell people about something. If you paint your one true love’s name on your car, you broadcast your feelings to the whole world! The word broadcast used to have to do with spreading seed, but now it refers to spreading information. It can be a noun or verb — if you turn on the radio, you're hearing a broadcast, and the station is broadcasting that show. You don’t have to be in a studio to broadcast, though. Any time you let a lot of people know about something (whether they like it or not), you broadcast. When information is broadcast, it becomes widely known.
Vocabulary lists containing broadcast
Dirty Words: The Language of Gardening
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Journalism
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Academy Awards, List 2
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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.
It’s a strange occurrence, but no stranger than her suddenly speaking an unintelligible language during the morning broadcast, just before collapsing.
From Salon • Jun. 13, 2026
Channel 9 and Endemol Shine Australia said his conviction, which was in the US, was not revealed by him until after the series was broadcast.
From BBC • Jun. 13, 2026
A UFC match in March of this year had almost 2.5 million viewers, according to Sports Business Journal, on major free-to-air US network CBS -- a broadcast made possible by a seven-year $7.7 billion deal.
From Barron's • Jun. 12, 2026
On Thursday, festival doors will be from open from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. and will include a broadcast of the Mexico vs.
From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 11, 2026
“Now, this is for a live broadcast around eleven twenty P.M.,”
From "Anger Is a Gift" by Mark Oshiro
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
