abroad

adverb or adjective

1
: beyond the boundaries of one's country : in or to a foreign country
traveling abroad
hopes to study abroad next year
both at home and abroad
a family that came here from abroad [=from a foreign country] several years ago
2
: over a wide area : widely
wolves venturing abroad in increasing numbers
3
old-fashioned : away from one's home
doesn't go walking abroad at night
4
formal : in wide circulation : about
There are rumors abroad that the company is in trouble.
5
: wide of the mark : astray

Examples of abroad in a Sentence

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.
Everyday items, from produce to apparel, could be susceptible to new levies if they are imported from abroad. Anne Marie D. Lee, CBS News, 15 July 2025 While Gladys was married off to the Duke of Buckingham on The Gilded Age, in real life Consuelo was married off to Charles Spencer Churchill, the Duke of Marlborough at 19 years old, whom her mother Alva met during a trip abroad to the Marlborough estate. Carson Blackwelder, People.com, 15 July 2025 Five months into its unprecedented dismantling of foreign-aid programs, the Trump administration has given the order to incinerate food instead of sending it to people abroad who need it. Hana Kiros, The Atlantic, 15 July 2025 This and other developments both abroad and in the U.S. provide a preview of the potential of smart cities, which leverage information and communication technology and the Internet of Things to link and enhance urban systems. Jeffrey Steele, Forbes.com, 15 July 2025 See All Example Sentences for abroad

Word History

Etymology

Middle English abrod, abrood, from a- a- entry 1 + brod, brood broad entry 1

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 2

Time Traveler
The first known use of abroad was in the 14th century

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Abroad.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/abroad. Accessed 21 Jul. 2025.

Kids Definition

abroad

adverb or adjective
1
: over a wide area
2
: away from one's home
doesn't go abroad at night
3
: in or to foreign countries
travel abroad
4
formal : in wide circulation
rumors were abroad

More from Merriam-Webster on abroad

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