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Synonym Chooser

How is the word broad different from other adjectives like it?

The words deep and wide are common synonyms of broad. While all three words mean "having horizontal extent," broad is preferred when full horizontal extent is considered.

broad shoulders

Where would deep be a reasonable alternative to broad?

The synonyms deep and broad are sometimes interchangeable, but deep may indicate horizontal extent away from the observer or from a front or peripheral point.

a deep cupboard
deep woods

When could wide be used to replace broad?

The words wide and broad are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, wide is more common when units of measurement are mentioned, or when applied to unfilled space between limits.

rugs eight feet wide
a wide doorway

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 His defeat in Carleton—a formerly safe Conservative seat—was emblematic of the broader national mood shift. Mohammed Soliman, MSNBC Newsweek, 29 Apr. 2025 Opt for an oil-free, noncomedogenic sunscreen with broad spectrum protection. Conçetta Ciarlo, Vogue, 29 Apr. 2025 The film's broad cultural influence extends beyond the entertainment industry. ArsTechnica, 29 Apr. 2025 The group also argues that this cost-sharing approach will not incentivize insurers to return to underserved wildfire-prone areas, undermining Lara's broader Sustainable Insurance Strategy. Thomas G. Moukawsher, MSNBC Newsweek, 17 Apr. 2025 See All Example Sentences for broad
Recent Examples of Synonyms for broad
Adjective
  • According to data intelligence firm Morning Consult, DEI is one of the hot-button issues that produces the widest partisan gaps in what Americans want brands to talk about.
    Jessica Guynn, USA Today, 2 May 2025
  • In the wide world of luggage, there are often two extremes.
    Victoria Uwumarogie, Essence, 1 May 2025
Adjective
  • Teams may resist new workflows or technologies, requiring extensive training and communication efforts.
    Prashanthi Kolluru, Forbes.com, 28 Apr. 2025
  • Little Saigon has an extensive collection of newspapers and radio and television media broadcasts that serve the community.
    Heather McRea, Oc Register, 28 Apr. 2025
Adjective
  • Still, Strider was frustrated for obvious reasons and searching for answers.
    David O'Brien, New York Times, 23 Apr. 2025
  • Hague lamented the rush to reach a deal in the absence of any obvious pressure on Russia but with an intense focus on obtaining for the U.S. the mineral wealth of Ukraine.
    Ross Rosenfeld, MSNBC Newsweek, 23 Apr. 2025
Adjective
  • Primaries not needed Spanberger and Earle-Sears can both skip competing in a primary and will instead head straight into the general face-off.
    Savannah Kuchar, USA Today, 21 Apr. 2025
  • This year is a defining one for Verbeek, who became a first-time NHL general manager in February 2022 after being an acolyte to Steve Yzerman in Tampa Bay and Detroit.
    Eric Stephens, New York Times, 20 Apr. 2025
Adjective
  • Since returning to the Oval Office, Trump and his administration have cut thousands of jobs across the federal government, enacted sweeping tariffs that led to an escalating trade war with China and launched a deportation program that has triggered bitter court battles.
    Christopher Cann, USA Today, 2 May 2025
  • Tariffs are the story of this earnings season, as investors look for signs that President Donald Trump’s sweeping levies on imports are weighing on costs and consumer spending.
    Samantha Subin, CNBC, 1 May 2025
Adjective
  • She’s been wildly influential without ever being less than unmistakable; no matter what sonic, thematic or characteristic elements other artists may borrow from her, none of them would ever risk being taken for Lana herself.
    Andrew Unterberger, Billboard, 26 Apr. 2025
  • The song, a collaboration between The Pogues frontman MacGowan and the unmistakable O’Connor, reenters the Official Physical Singles chart at No. 18.
    Hugh McIntyre, Forbes.com, 23 Apr. 2025
Adjective
  • Authors of the study attributed the country's overall decrease in mortality rates to national improvements in sanitation, tobacco policies and health care, specifically calling out the progress made in terms of preventing cardiovascular disease, cancer and other illnesses since 1900.
    Emily Mae Czachor, CBS News, 29 Apr. 2025
  • They’re carefully chosen to complement the overall look, adding an additional layer of personality and individuality.
    Ty Gaskins, Vogue, 29 Apr. 2025
Adjective
  • The Orioles scored the first run of the game in the second inning when Ramón Laureano ripped an RBI double to deep center.
    Gary Phillips, New York Daily News, 29 Apr. 2025
  • Fielder showed an exacting sense of how grotesquely unreal reality shows could get, as well as a deep awareness of how the sausage gets made.
    Scott Tobias, Vulture, 28 Apr. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Broad.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/broad. Accessed 4 May. 2025.

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