broaden

broaden — verb

1. to spread out more from side to side, or to make something do this.

1.verbtransitive / intransitiveB2
Definition

to spread out more from side to side, or to make something do this.

Example

Workers broadened the village road before the rainy season began.

broaden + road (physical object)

Near the bridge, the river broadens and slows after the bend.

intransitive use with a natural feature

Common collocations
  • broaden the road
  • broaden a window
  • broaden your shoulders
  • the river broadens
Synonyms
  • widen

    closest everyday word for increasing physical width

  • expand

    more general; can mean getting bigger in several directions

  • enlarge

    general and slightly more formal; not limited to width

Antonyms
  • narrow

    to become or make something less wide

  • tighten

    used for spaces or openings becoming smaller

Grammar Patterns

broaden + noun (road, window, shoulders)

something broadens

Usage Note

Often used for things with a clear physical width, such as roads, rivers, windows, or shoulders. Distinguish from sense 2, which is usually about scope, audience, or coverage rather than shape.

Common Mistakes

They broadened the bridge by ten meters longer.
They broadened the bridge by ten meters.
'broaden' changes width, not length.

2. to make something reach more people, include more things, or cover a larger area

2.verbtransitiveC1
Definition

to make something reach more people, include more things, or cover a larger area.

Example

The museum hopes to broaden its appeal with family tickets this summer.

broaden + appeal

The mayor broadened the safety plan to include small fishing towns.

broaden + plan + to include

Common collocations
  • broaden the appeal
  • broaden access
  • broaden the debate
  • broaden the search
Synonyms
  • expand

    most general; often about size, activity, or business growth

  • extend

    stresses pushing a limit or reach farther outward

  • widen

    possible figuratively, but usually sounds more concrete

Antonyms
  • limit

    to keep range or access small

  • restrict

    to reduce what is included or who can take part

Grammar Patterns

broaden + noun (appeal, access, debate, search)

broaden + noun + to include + noun

Usage Note

Object is usually an abstract noun such as appeal, access, market, debate, or search. Common when a plan, service, or activity starts to include more people or more kinds of things.

Common Mistakes

The sale broadened our customer numbers.
The sale broadened our customer base.
'broaden' is about range or type, not simply a higher total.

3. to give someone more knowledge, experience, or understanding, or to grow in thes

3.verbtransitive / intransitiveC1
Definition

to give someone more knowledge, experience, or understanding, or to grow in these ways yourself.

Example

Living in Seoul broadened Hana's view of how cities can work.

broaden + a person's view

Reading village history broadened my understanding of the island's past.

broaden + understanding of + topic

Common collocations
  • broaden your horizons
  • broaden your knowledge
  • broaden understanding
  • broaden the mind
Synonyms
  • enrich

    stresses adding value or depth to experience

  • deepen

    focuses on stronger understanding of one area, not a wider range

  • open up

    informal; common for new experiences changing how someone thinks

Antonyms
  • narrow

    to make ideas or experience less wide in range

  • limit

    to keep knowledge or understanding from growing

Grammar Patterns

broaden + noun (knowledge, understanding, view)

something broadens

Usage Note

Common with words like knowledge, understanding, experience, and horizons. Distinguish from sense 2: this sense changes how much a person knows or sees, not how widely a service or activity reaches.

Common Mistakes

The trip broadened my horizon.
The trip broadened my horizons.
the fixed expression usually uses the plural 'horizons' for wider experience.
Phrasal verbs

broaden out

phrasal verb

To make something wider or more extensive.

The city plans to broaden out the main road next year.

She broadened out her research to include European history.

Word family

Synonym discussion

Sense: verb/2

These words can all suggest making something cover more, but they point to different kinds of growth. Broaden often means adding new kinds of people, ideas, or subjects, so you broaden a course, a policy, or a product's appeal. Expand is the most general and often describes bigger size, amount, or business activity. Extend stresses pushing a limit farther outward, often in time, area, or responsibility. Widen is the clearest choice for real physical width, though it can also be used figuratively. A museum may broaden its audience, a company may expand overseas, a city may extend a rail line, and a road may widen near a bridge.

broaden ↗expand ↗extend ↗widen ↗

Common collocations

Adverbs

Etymology

Old EnglishEnglish

'Broaden' was formed in English by adding the verb ending '-en' to 'broad'. The base word goes back to Old English 'brad', meaning 'wide'. From early on, the verb was used for physical width, and later it also came to describe wider knowledge, experience, and range.