broaden

American  

[brawd-n] / ˈbrɔd n /

verb (used with or without object)

1. to become or make broad.

   Synonyms:

   sophisticate, educate, inform, enlighten, widen, enlarge, expand, extend

---

broaden British  

/ ˈbrɔːdən /

verb

1. to make or become broad or broader; widen

---

Other Word Forms

• overbroaden verb
• rebroaden verb
• unbroadened adjective

Etymology

Origin of broaden

First recorded in 1720–30; broad + -en ¹

Explanation

To broaden something is to make it wider or more expansive. If you wake up feeling less than cheerful, the sight of the doughnuts your dad got for breakfast might broaden your smile. Something can broaden literally, like a river that broadens as you hike beside it, growing wider as it flows south. Things also broaden figuratively, the way people's minds tend to broaden when they travel around the world and meet people from different cultures. In both cases, things that broaden expand and become more open.

Example Sentences

“Private credit is looking to broaden its addressable market, which has historically been skewed towards the commercial side,” said Mike Taiano, vice president in the financial institutions group at Moody’s Ratings.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 19, 2026

"We now know that we need to broaden our view when looking for early sponges."

From Science Daily • Apr. 15, 2026

Craik added there would also be a day event for schools on Friday "to enrich the kids' preparation for A-levels, but also to broaden their knowledge and understanding more generally of humanities subjects".

From BBC • Apr. 11, 2026

Deutsche Bank said earnings growth would broaden out across sectors, with 10 of 11 in positive territory, led by megacap growth and tech.

From MarketWatch • Apr. 9, 2026

He believed that a New England college would best broaden his mind by exposing him to a range of ideas and viewpoints.

From "Ambushed!" by Gail Jarrow

Related Words

• augment
• develop
• enlarge
• expand
• increase
• open up
• widen