abroad

abroad — adverb

1. in, to, or from a country that is not the one where you live, usually one you mu

1.adverbB1
Definition

in, to, or from a country that is not the one where you live, usually one you must cross a border or sea to reach.

Example

Merry spent a year studying abroad at a university in Berlin.

study + abroad collocation

My grandparents have never travelled abroad because they are afraid of flying.

travel + abroad

Common collocations
  • study abroad
  • live abroad
  • work abroad
  • travel abroad
  • go abroad
  • from abroad
  • holiday abroad
Synonyms
  • overseas

    very close in meaning; often suggests crossing a sea, common in British English

  • internationally

    more formal, focuses on between-country activity rather than location

Antonyms

Grammar Patterns

go/live/study/work + abroad

from abroad

Usage Note

Used after a verb or noun, never before it. Note that 'abroad' on its own already means 'in or to a foreign country', so 'go to abroad' is wrong; just say 'go abroad'.

Common Mistakes

My sister wants to go to abroad next year.
My sister wants to go abroad next year.
'abroad' is an adverb, so no preposition 'to' is needed.
He has been in abroad for ten years.
He has been abroad for ten years.
same reason; 'in' is not used before 'abroad'.

2. outside the house, especially walking around in a public place; this use sounds

2.adverbC1
Definition

outside the house, especially walking around in a public place; this use sounds old-fashioned or literary today.

Example

Few people were abroad in the village square at that early hour.

literary: people + abroad meaning out and about

A heavy fog had settled, and only the night watchman was still abroad.

old-fashioned narrative use

Common collocations
  • be abroad
  • abroad in the streets
  • abroad at night
Synonyms
  • out

    the everyday modern equivalent

  • outdoors

    neutral, common in modern English

Antonyms

Grammar Patterns

be + abroad

Usage Note

Distinguish from sense 1: here 'abroad' has nothing to do with foreign countries; it simply means out of the house. Now mostly found in older novels and literary writing — modern speakers usually say 'out' or 'outside'.

Common Mistakes

Lots of kids were abroad in the playground.' (in everyday speech)
Lots of kids were out in the playground.
modern English uses 'out' or 'outside'; 'abroad' here sounds very old-fashioned.

3. passing from person to person so that many people now know about, talk about, or

3.adverbC2
Definition

passing from person to person so that many people now know about, talk about, or feel something — typically rumours, fears, or moods.

Example

There is a rumour abroad that the old factory will be torn down next month.

there is + rumour + abroad

A strong sense of hope was abroad in the city after the election.

feeling + be abroad

Common collocations
  • rumour abroad
  • feeling abroad
  • fear abroad
  • story abroad
Synonyms
  • around

    informal everyday equivalent: 'a rumour going around'

  • circulating

    more neutral, common in news writing

  • widespread

    adjective; describes the same idea but used before a noun

Antonyms
  • secret

    the opposite idea: not yet known by many

Grammar Patterns

there is/are + noun + abroad

Usage Note

Subject is usually an abstract noun like rumour, story, fear, hope, or feeling — not a person or object. Often appears in 'there is X abroad' or 'X is abroad'. Formal or journalistic; in casual talk, prefer 'going around' or 'spreading'.

Common Mistakes

Many tourists are abroad in the city this summer.' (intending sense 3)
There is a feeling of excitement abroad in the city this summer.
sense 3 needs an abstract subject (rumour, mood, fear), not people.
The news is abroad the country.
The news is abroad in the country.
'abroad' is not a preposition; it does not take a direct object.

Word family

Synonym discussion

Sense: adverb/1

All four describe being or going outside one's home country, but they differ in feel. 'Abroad' is the everyday word and works for any foreign country, by land, sea, or air ('study abroad', 'go abroad'). 'Overseas' literally suggests crossing a sea, so it's the natural choice for someone in Britain or Taiwan, and slightly more common in formal writing and business. 'Internationally' is more abstract and focuses on activity that involves several countries rather than physical location, as in 'the company operates internationally'. 'Out of the country' is the most neutral, spoken phrase, often used when stressing absence: 'She's out of the country this week.' For a quick test: a backpacker says 'I went abroad'; a CEO says 'we expanded overseas'; a press release says 'we operate internationally'.

abroad ↗overseas ↗internationally ↗out of the country

Common collocations

Nouns

  • holiday abroad
  • trip abroad
  • year abroad
  • experience abroad
  • students abroad

Adverbs

  • currently abroad
  • permanently abroad
  • temporarily abroad

Phrases

  • go abroad
  • live abroad
  • work abroad
  • study abroad
  • travel abroad
  • send abroad
  • based abroad

Prepositions

  • from abroad
  • while abroad

Etymology

Old EnglishMiddle EnglishEnglish

Originally formed in Middle English from the prefix 'a-' (meaning 'on' or 'in') plus 'broad', literally giving the sense 'over a wide area' or 'out in the open'. From there it came to mean 'outside the house', then later 'in or to another country'. The older 'outdoors' meaning explains the literary sense 2 and the 'widely spread' sense 3, while sense 1 is now the dominant modern use.