broaden

verb

broad·​en ˈbrȯ-dᵊn How to pronounce broaden (audio)
broadened; broadening ˈbrȯd-niŋ How to pronounce broaden (audio)
ˈbrȯ-dᵊn-iŋ

intransitive verb

: to become broad

Examples of broaden in a Sentence

They need to broaden their understanding of other cultures. The police have broadened the scope of the investigation. Her smile broadened when I told her the good news. The investigation has broadened to include the mayor's staff. His interests broadened to include art and music, not just sports.
Recent Examples on the Web
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.
These interactions broaden engineers’ focus beyond technical execution, enhancing their understanding of the user experience and strategic design and developing their design-thinking skills. - Kunal Abichandani, Rilla 4. Expert Panel®, Forbes.com, 28 Apr. 2025 Customers get more choices The new vehicles aim to broaden Nissan’s choice of powertrains. Mark Phelan, USA Today, 25 Apr. 2025 By strategically rejecting their most contentious positions, Democrats can broaden their appeal. Nafees Alam, Twin Cities, 23 Apr. 2025 Since the takeover, Newcastle have inked numerous new deals, significantly broadening their commercial activity. Chris Weatherspoon, New York Times, 23 Apr. 2025 See All Example Sentences for broaden

Word History

First Known Use

1727, in the meaning defined at transitive sense

Time Traveler
The first known use of broaden was in 1727

Cite this Entry

“Broaden.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/broaden. Accessed 1 May. 2025.

Kids Definition

broaden

verb
broad·​en ˈbrȯd-ᵊn How to pronounce broaden (audio)
broadened; broadening ˈbrȯd-niŋ How to pronounce broaden (audio)
-ᵊn-iŋ
: to make or become broad or broader
broaden your horizons

More from Merriam-Webster on broaden

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