breadth

noun

ˈbretth 

ˈbredth,

nonstandard

ˈbreth 

1

: distance from side to side : width

the height, breadth, and depth of each piece of furniture

2

: something of full width

begin with a breadth of silk

3

a

: comprehensive quality : scope

the breadth of his learning

b

: liberality of views or taste

breadth of mind

breadthwise

ˈbretth-ˌwīz 

ˈbredth-

 nonstandard  ˈbreth-

adverb or adjective

Synonyms

• expansion
• expanse
• length
• stretch

Examples of breadth in a Sentence

We measured the height, breadth, and depth of each piece of furniture.

a great breadth of land awaited those who were brave and hardy enough to settle it

Recent Examples on the Web

To really understand the breadth of Dylan’s work, fans had to dive into the bootlegs. —Andy Greene, Rolling Stone, 27 Oct. 2025

The Hollywood Reporter’s nominations highlight the breadth and variety of its work across multiple media platforms. —Kimberly Nordyke, HollywoodReporter, 27 Oct. 2025

The breadth and granularity of information available from how people search and navigate the web—data that Google, one of OpenAI’s top competitors, already has access to—could be invaluable for developing future chatbots. —Matteo Wong, The Atlantic, 22 Oct. 2025

This year’s lineup of honorees is a testament to the breadth of Black creativity in film and television. —Okla Jones, Essence, 22 Oct. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Middle English breadeth, breth, from brede breadth (from Old English brǣdu, from brād broad) + -th (as in lengthe length)

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing breadth

• hair's breadth
• the length and breadth of

Rhymes for breadth

• overbreadth

Kids Definition

breadth

noun

ˈbredth  ˈbretth 

ˈbreth

1

: distance from side to side : width

2

a

: something of full width

b

: a wide area

3

: scope entry 1 sense 2

breadth of knowledge