broader; broadest
1
a
: having ample extent from side to side or between limits
broad shoulders
… one of the broadest estuaries of any river in America.—
William Styron
William Styron
b
: having a specified extension from side to side
made the path 10 feet broad
2
: extending far and wide : spacious
the broad plains
3
: relating to the main or essential points
broad outlines
5
linguistics
: dialectal especially in pronunciation
a broad northern accent
6
b
: widely applicable or applied : general
a broad rule
the broader sense of the word
c
: wide in range or amount
This store has a broader selection of items.
a politician with broad [=widespread] appeal
There is broad agreement [=many people agree] that these changes are needed.
7
of a vowel
: open
—used specifically of a pronounced as in father
broadly
adverb
He smiled broadly.
broadness
noun
the broadness of the law's scope
: in a broad (see broad entry 1 sense 4a) manner : fully
broad awake
1
slang, often offensive
: woman
2
British
: an expansion of a river
—often used in plural
Synonyms
Examples of broad in a Sentence
Adjective
The store has a broad selection of coats.
There was broad agreement on the new government.
There are three broad categories of industry in the region: computers, finance, and education.
the broad outlines of a problem
discusses “family” in its broadest sense
Recent Examples on the WebMatt Lavietes, NBC News, 20 Nov. 2023
Missing was any indication of how the wisecracking AI bot fits into the broader Musk portfolio of Tesla autonomous driving technology, humanoid Optimus robots, and Neuralink human-machine brain interfaces, raising questions about the seriousness, and significance, of xAI.
—David Meyer, Fortune, 20 Nov. 2023
She is set to work with the PR teams across NBCUniversal’s Entertainment and direct-to-consumer brands, mainly Peacock, as well as the broader team that covers NBC, Bravo, E!, Oxygen True Crime, Syfy, Universal Kids and USA Network.
—Jennifer Maas, Variety, 20 Nov. 2023
To do so, Saudi Arabia would work with Iran and Turkey, the main powerbrokers in the Arab world, as well as with Israel via the United States, to arrive at a broad framework for an Israeli-Palestinian peace process with the aim of creating a Palestinian state.
—Maria Fantappie and Vali Nasr, Foreign Affairs, 20 Nov. 2023
The network also includes a broad array of residential rooftop solar panels, which produce the energy stored in those batteries, and smart water heaters and E.V. chargers.
—Bill McKibben, The New Yorker, 20 Nov. 2023
That inquiry hadn’t been publicly reported prior to the subpoena filing, as the company faces broader regulatory scrutiny over potential antitrust concerns.
—Ethan Millman, Rolling Stone, 20 Nov. 2023
Trump's tap dance — touting Operation Warp Speed's success at developing vaccines while criticizing vaccine use — is emblematic of how pandemic politics are intensifying broader vaccine politics.
—Darius Tahir, CBS News, 20 Nov. 2023
Puppy liner, originally a Korean beauty trend, adjusts the concept of the cat eye to suit a broader audience of eye shapes, punctuating gazes and widening eyes with one subtle pull of product.
—Calin Van Paris, Vogue, 20 Nov. 2023
Jeremy Kohler, ProPublica, 10 Oct. 2023
Saros contends that with a definition so broad, violations occur in every water polo game — and, indeed, in many other sports as well.
—Steve Henson, Los Angeles Times, 19 June 2023
While previous reports analyzed broad, countywide strategies for reducing climate pollution, the playbook is more of a how-to guide, presenting detailed suggestions to help organizations, communities and regional governments quickly transition from fossil fuels to renewable energy.
—San Diego Union-Tribune, 22 Feb. 2023
General manager Bob Myers said that Baldwin was higher than No. 28 on the Warriors’ draft broad, and that the team values Baldwin’s size — 6-foot-9, 220-pounds and a 7-2 wingspan — versatility and high basketball IQ.
—C.j. Holmes, San Francisco Chronicle, 23 June 2022
Sources at the time told THR that Peacock was looking for a broad-skewing network-style show, while Collins wanted to deliver an edgy, premium series.
—Lesley Goldberg, The Hollywood Reporter, 17 Mar. 2023
Major changes for higher ed HB 999, by Rep. Alex Andrade, R-Pensacola, lays out a broad-reaching plan that reshapes higher education along the lines of what is already happening at New College in Sarasota.
—Jeffrey Schweers, Orlando Sentinel, 6 Mar. 2023
The era of quantum computers should have similarly broad-reaching, beneficial, and impossible-to-predict consequences.
—Tom Simonite Sophia Chen, WIRED, 22 Feb. 2023
The actress posted an Instagram photo showing off her toned butt, legs, and abs in a cut-out swimsuit and broad-brimmed hat on Instagram.
—Jacqueline Tempera, Women's Health, 14 Feb. 2023
See More
Adjective
In April, Ashley was arrested and charged with robbery, grand larceny, petit larceny and identity theft for four incidents from October 2021 to August 2022, including the May 2022 encounter, which was linked to the broader crime scheme, according to prosecutors.
—Matt Lavietes, NBC News, 20 Nov. 2023
Missing was any indication of how the wisecracking AI bot fits into the broader Musk portfolio of Tesla autonomous driving technology, humanoid Optimus robots, and Neuralink human-machine brain interfaces, raising questions about the seriousness, and significance, of xAI.
—David Meyer, Fortune, 20 Nov. 2023
She is set to work with the PR teams across NBCUniversal’s Entertainment and direct-to-consumer brands, mainly Peacock, as well as the broader team that covers NBC, Bravo, E!, Oxygen True Crime, Syfy, Universal Kids and USA Network.
—Jennifer Maas, Variety, 20 Nov. 2023
To do so, Saudi Arabia would work with Iran and Turkey, the main powerbrokers in the Arab world, as well as with Israel via the United States, to arrive at a broad framework for an Israeli-Palestinian peace process with the aim of creating a Palestinian state.
—Maria Fantappie and Vali Nasr, Foreign Affairs, 20 Nov. 2023
The network also includes a broad array of residential rooftop solar panels, which produce the energy stored in those batteries, and smart water heaters and E.V. chargers.
—Bill McKibben, The New Yorker, 20 Nov. 2023
That inquiry hadn’t been publicly reported prior to the subpoena filing, as the company faces broader regulatory scrutiny over potential antitrust concerns.
—Ethan Millman, Rolling Stone, 20 Nov. 2023
Trump's tap dance — touting Operation Warp Speed's success at developing vaccines while criticizing vaccine use — is emblematic of how pandemic politics are intensifying broader vaccine politics.
—Darius Tahir, CBS News, 20 Nov. 2023
Puppy liner, originally a Korean beauty trend, adjusts the concept of the cat eye to suit a broader audience of eye shapes, punctuating gazes and widening eyes with one subtle pull of product.
—Calin Van Paris, Vogue, 20 Nov. 2023
Adverb
His questions started out broad, then zeroed in on details.
—Jeremy Kohler, ProPublica, 10 Oct. 2023
Saros contends that with a definition so broad, violations occur in every water polo game — and, indeed, in many other sports as well.
—Steve Henson, Los Angeles Times, 19 June 2023
While previous reports analyzed broad, countywide strategies for reducing climate pollution, the playbook is more of a how-to guide, presenting detailed suggestions to help organizations, communities and regional governments quickly transition from fossil fuels to renewable energy.
—San Diego Union-Tribune, 22 Feb. 2023
General manager Bob Myers said that Baldwin was higher than No. 28 on the Warriors’ draft broad, and that the team values Baldwin’s size — 6-foot-9, 220-pounds and a 7-2 wingspan — versatility and high basketball IQ.
—C.j. Holmes, San Francisco Chronicle, 23 June 2022
Sources at the time told THR that Peacock was looking for a broad-skewing network-style show, while Collins wanted to deliver an edgy, premium series.
—Lesley Goldberg, The Hollywood Reporter, 17 Mar. 2023
Major changes for higher ed HB 999, by Rep. Alex Andrade, R-Pensacola, lays out a broad-reaching plan that reshapes higher education along the lines of what is already happening at New College in Sarasota.
—Jeffrey Schweers, Orlando Sentinel, 6 Mar. 2023
The era of quantum computers should have similarly broad-reaching, beneficial, and impossible-to-predict consequences.
—Tom Simonite Sophia Chen, WIRED, 22 Feb. 2023
The actress posted an Instagram photo showing off her toned butt, legs, and abs in a cut-out swimsuit and broad-brimmed hat on Instagram.
—Jacqueline Tempera, Women's Health, 14 Feb. 2023
See More
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'broad.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Word History
Etymology
Adjective
Middle English brood, from Old English brād; akin to Old High German breit broad
Adverb
Middle English broode, from Old English brāde, adverbial derivative of brād broad entry 1
Noun
Middle English brood, noun derivative of brood broad entry 1
First Known Use
Adjective
before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a
Adverb
before the 12th century, in the meaning defined above
Noun
1659, in the meaning defined at sense 2
Time Traveler
The first known use of broad was
before the 12th century
Phrases Containing broad
Dictionary Entries Near broad
Cite this Entry
“Broad.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/broad. Accessed 28 Nov. 2023.
Copy Citation
Kids Definition
broad
adjectiveˈbrȯd
1
: not narrow : wide
a broad stripe
2
: extending far and wide : spacious
broad prairies
3
: full entry 1 sense 2c
broad daylight
4
: very clear : obvious
a broad hint
5
: not limited : large in range or amount
a broad choice of subjects
education in its broadest sense
6
: not covering the fine points : general
broad outlines of a problem
7
: pronounced like the a in father
broadly
adverb
broadness
noun
More from Merriam-Webster on broad
Nglish: Translation of broad for Spanish Speakers
Britannica English: Translation of broad for Arabic Speakers
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