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.
Transitioning from Johnston’s raging rockers to McDonald’s soulful tunes, the Doobies’ sound and reach broadened significantly. Steve Bloom, HollywoodReporter, 12 June 2025 Approach Board Work As A Growth Opportunity Board service is a leadership development laboratory, particularly for functional experts seeking to broaden their perspective or prepare for a career transition to a broader role. Expert Panel®, Forbes.com, 11 June 2025 Ultimately, giving struggling households greater financial breathing room broadens the tax base and promotes consumer spending, United Way of Florida concluded in its report. Max Klaver, Miami Herald, 11 June 2025 In 2024, Lead opened a New York office and broadened its product set to include card issuing, multi-currency deposit accounts, and a wider array of payment options, such as international ACH and wire transfers. Ellen Sheng, CNBC, 10 June 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 19 Jun. 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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