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.
The tie-up would broaden Constellation’s portfolio as companies like Microsoft, Google and Amazon are scrambling to secure energy for data centers used to run artificial intelligence and other services. Rebecca F. Elliott, New York Times, 10 Jan. 2025 Starlink And SpaceX Operating in Italy since 2021, Starlink could broaden its scope to support emergency response efforts, including disaster relief and counterterrorism operations. Matthew Impelli, Newsweek, 10 Jan. 2025 When Karp broadened the list, sports accounted for 182 of the top 200 shows of 2024. Richard Deitsch, The Athletic, 7 Jan. 2025 Assuming the companies receive the requisite government approvals, the acquisition would broaden Bunge’s footprint. Michael Khouw, CNBC, 2 Jan. 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 18 Jan. 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
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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