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broad-minded

adjective

ˈbrȯd-ˈmīn-dəd How to pronounce broad-minded (audio)
Definition of broad-mindednext
1
as in liberal
not bound by traditional ways or beliefs a broad-minded philosophy of parenting

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in open
willing to consider new or different ideas we have to be broad-minded on this issue, since traditional solutions no longer work

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of broad-minded The definition of a liberal is someone who’s too broad-minded to take his own side in an argument. — David Frum, The Atlantic, 29 July 2026 Michael Landon’s long-running TV adaptation, which premiered in 1974, transformed Little House into comfort food, broad-minded but schmaltzy. — Judy Berman, Time, 9 July 2026 Liberal means generous, broad-minded, tolerant, worldly, seeking acculturation and education, and using government to aid collective human flourishing. — Harper’s Magazine, Harpers Magazine, 16 July 2025 Plus, a lot of social policies that many Californians consider beneficent and broad-minded that, to put it mildly, others around the country consider much less so. — Mark Z. Barabak, Los Angeles Times, 22 June 2025 Instead of articulating a compelling vision that could spark a broad-minded counterpunch to narrow-minded populism, Newsom has taken an oddly defeatist course in his first podcasts. — Steven Greenhut, Orange County Register, 16 Mar. 2025 Jewish groups that are more broad-minded and sensible reacted with concern over the fate of the hostages and revulsion at the entire idea. — Sun Sentinel Editorial Board, Sun Sentinel, 8 Feb. 2025 The poet Robert Frost once said that a liberal is someone too broad-minded to take his own side in a fight. — Rich Lowry, Twin Cities, 7 Feb. 2025 Intelligent, beautiful, 18 to 25, broad-minded, sensitive, affectionate. — Adrienne Raphel, New York Times, 25 Nov. 2024
Recent Examples of Synonyms for broad-minded
  1. liberal
  2. open
  3. progressive
  4. receptive
  5. modern
  6. open-minded
  7. unconventional
  8. radical
Adjective
  • In contrast, Nate Coulter, executive director of the Central Arkansas Library System, filed a lawsuit regarding Act 372 of 2023, the common-sense library law, in Fayetteville before liberal Judge Timothy Brooks.
    — Robert Steinbuch, Arkansas Online, 18 Sep. 2026
  • Other liberal economists disdain labor share as a useful metric, or see it as a distraction from sober policy analysis.
    — Business Columnist, Los Angeles Times, 17 Sep. 2026
Definition of liberal
Adjective
  • Weiss ruled that the open-carry arrest alone wasn’t evidence the gun was used irresponsibly.
    — Romy Ellenbogen Herald, Miami Herald, 14 Sep. 2026
  • With APIs, data-sharing frameworks and regulatory standards, the infrastructure for open finance is more mature than ever.
    — Jess Turner, Forbes.com, 14 Sep. 2026
Definition of open
Adjective
  • When a Black professor suggests that the protesting students are infringing on their classmates’ right to use shared areas, her white counterparts shake their heads in disgust for her refusal to capitulate to progressive groupthink.
    — Todd Gilchrist, Variety, 16 Sep. 2026
  • The inherent challenge in making films dealing with progressive illness is not succumbing to an inescapably formulaic structure that can’t help but go with the territory.
    — Michael Rechtshaffen, HollywoodReporter, 16 Sep. 2026
Definition of progressive
Adjective
  • Business leaders who frame clean energy around supply-chain resilience, foreign exchange risk reduction and operational cost predictability often find far more receptive internal audiences than those leading with carbon commitments.
    — Hany Naeem, Forbes.com, 9 Sep. 2026
  • At six o’clock on a Sunday evening, long before the bar opened, the Roundhouse audience wasn’t in the most receptive of moods.
    — Andy Greene, Rolling Stone, 5 Sep. 2026
Definition of receptive
Adjective
  • What may have surprised even modern sports fans, however, was Ole Miss' suing two of its former players who followed former Rebels coach Lane Kiffin to his new position as head football coach at LSU.
    — Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 19 Sep. 2026
  • In the heart of East Nashville, this two-bedroom home is perfect for families and those looking for a long-term stay topped with modern appliances and laundry.
    — Sara Sturek, Condé Nast Traveler, 18 Sep. 2026
Definition of modern
Adjective
  • That people listen, keep talking even when things get heated, and try to be open-minded.
    — Wendy Naugle, USA Today, 9 Sep. 2026
  • Riding United is all about being open-minded, according to Vogel, who studies each course meticulously on foot to work out how many strides the pair should take between jumps.
    — Danielle Rossingh, New York Times, 8 Sep. 2026
Definition of open-minded
Adjective
  • From the start, Paul’s unconventional and volatile romantic relationships were central to the series.
    — Tracy Brown, Los Angeles Times, 15 Sep. 2026
  • Nobody lives here permanently—only rotating teams of scientists, engineers, and unconventional travelers.
    — Hana Al-Khodairi, Condé Nast Traveler, 15 Sep. 2026
Definition of unconventional
Adjective
  • Niacinamide soothes and evens tone, while rice bran extract conditions skin and helps defend against free-radical damage.
    — Christa Joanna Lee, Allure, 18 Sep. 2026
  • Medical advances and especially vaccination — a radical concept, once — have nearly eliminated childhood diseases that killed up to half of children before age 5 when the nation was founded.
    — Jonathan Fahey, Los Angeles Times, 18 Sep. 2026
Definition of radical

Browse Nearby Words

broadly
broad-minded
broad-mindedness
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Cite this Entry

“Broad-minded.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/broad-minded. Accessed 19 Sep. 2026.

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