broaden

verb

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

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.
How could the agreement broaden access for treatments? Nicole Hassoun, The Conversation, 22 May 2025 Coloring outside the lines Contemporary collectors under age 50 have broadened the scope of what constitutes art, from street art to multimedia installations and wearables. Suzanne Wright, USA Today, 22 May 2025 Strategically, Lyft is broadening its presence in smaller, car-dependent cities like Indianapolis, where rides surged by 37% in Q1. Trefis Team, Forbes.com, 21 May 2025 David Matamoros This romantic comedy was shot across the U.S. and Spain and leverages a strong Latin American co-production structure to broaden its reach across different territories. Jamie Lang, Variety, 14 May 2025 See All Example Sentences for broaden

Word History

First Known Use

1727, in the meaning defined at transitive sense

Time Traveler
The first known use of broaden was in 1727

Cite this Entry

“Broaden.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/broaden. Accessed 28 May. 2025.

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

More from Merriam-Webster on broaden

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