broaden

verb

broad·​en ˈbrȯ-dᵊn How to pronounce broaden (audio)
broadened; broadening ˈbrȯd-niŋ How to pronounce broaden (audio)
ˈbrȯ-dᵊn-iŋ
Synonyms of broadennext

intransitive verb

: to become broad

Examples of broaden in a Sentence

They need to broaden their understanding of other cultures. The police have broadened the scope of the investigation. Her smile broadened when I told her the good news. The investigation has broadened to include the mayor's staff. His interests broadened to include art and music, not just sports.
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Nobody on the Hill talks about broadening the base and lowering rates anymore. Annie Lowrey, The Atlantic, 28 Apr. 2026 Roy has been among the Republicans pushing to expand the reconciliation bill with additional reforms, but others have been wary about broadening its scope. Mike Lillis, The Hill, 28 Apr. 2026 However, Jim would like to see the market rally broaden out. Zev Fima, CNBC, 27 Apr. 2026 In the case of liveblogs, they have been popularized alongside the contemporary culture of online participation, which broadens the available pool of potential sources and places both elite and nonelite sources on the same social media platforms. Daniel Jackson, Encyclopedia Britannica, 27 Apr. 2026 See All Example Sentences for broaden

Word History

First Known Use

1864, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense

Time Traveler
The first known use of broaden was in 1864

Cite this Entry

“Broaden.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/broaden. Accessed 1 May. 2026.

Kids Definition

broaden

verb
broad·​en ˈbrȯd-ᵊn How to pronounce broaden (audio)
broadened; broadening ˈbrȯd-niŋ How to pronounce broaden (audio)
-ᵊn-iŋ
: to make or become broad or broader
broaden your horizons

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