Explanation at your level:
To broaden means to make something wider. If you have a small path, you can broaden it to make it easier to walk on. You can also use this word for your brain! When you learn new things, you broaden your mind. It is a very good word to use when you want to talk about growing or getting bigger.
When you broaden something, you are increasing its size or range. For example, a teacher might broaden a lesson to include more interesting topics. It is a helpful word for talking about school, work, or travel. If you want to improve your English, you are broadening your skills every single day!
In this level, you will see broaden used in more abstract ways. It is very common to hear people say they want to broaden their experience by taking a new job or broaden their knowledge by reading books. It suggests that you are moving past your current limits to see what else is out there.
At the B2 level, you can use broaden to describe strategic changes. For instance, a business might broaden its product range to stay competitive. It is a great alternative to basic words like 'increase' or 'expand' because it implies a sense of opening up to new possibilities or audiences.
When you reach C1, you can use broaden to talk about nuanced shifts in perspective or policy. You might discuss how a government needs to broaden its approach to environmental issues or how a scholar seeks to broaden the academic debate. It conveys a sense of intellectual growth and comprehensive inclusion.
At the mastery level, broaden is used to describe the subtle expansion of cultural, philosophical, or systemic boundaries. You might use it to describe how an artist seeks to broaden the aesthetic parameters of their genre. It is a precise verb that highlights the transition from a narrow, specialized focus to a more holistic, expansive view, reflecting a deep command of English register and nuance.
Palavra em 30 segundos
- Broaden means to make wider or more extensive.
- It is used for both physical objects and abstract ideas.
- Commonly used in professional and academic settings.
- It is a regular verb with the past form 'broadened'.
When we talk about broadening something, we are essentially talking about expansion. Think of it as opening up a horizon that was previously limited or narrow.
You might use this word when talking about physical objects, like broadening a road to fit more cars. However, it is most commonly used metaphorically. For instance, traveling can broaden your mind, or a company might broaden its services to reach more customers.
It is a positive, active word that suggests growth, inclusivity, and progress. Whether you are broadening your professional network or your understanding of a complex topic, you are making space for more.
The word broaden is a classic example of how English builds new verbs from adjectives. It comes from the Old English word brad, which simply meant 'wide' or 'flat'.
During the Middle English period, the suffix -en was added to adjectives to turn them into verbs that mean 'to make [adjective]'. This is the same process we see in words like widen, deepen, or sharpen.
Historically, the word has been used since the 16th century to describe both physical expansion and the growth of abstract concepts. It has remained a staple in the English language because it perfectly captures that sense of moving from a constrained state to an open, expansive one.
In professional contexts, broaden is a go-to verb for growth. You will often hear people talk about broadening the scope of a project or broadening their horizons after graduation.
It is a very flexible word. You can use it in formal reports, such as 'The committee aims to broaden the criteria for selection,' or in casual conversation, like 'I want to broaden my cooking skills this weekend.'
Common word combinations include broaden one's knowledge, broaden the appeal, and broaden the debate. It carries a slightly more sophisticated tone than just saying 'make bigger' or 'increase'.
- Broaden one's horizons: To expand the range of one's knowledge or experience. Example: Traveling abroad will really broaden your horizons.
- Broaden the mind: To become more open to new ideas. Example: Reading diverse literature helps to broaden the mind.
- Broaden the scope: To include more subjects or areas. Example: We need to broaden the scope of our research to be more accurate.
- Broaden the appeal: To make something attractive to more people. Example: The company updated its logo to broaden its appeal to younger buyers.
- Broaden the base: To increase the foundation or support for something. Example: The party is trying to broaden its base of voters.
Broaden is a regular verb. Its past tense and past participle forms are broadened, and its present participle is broadening.
Pronunciation is straightforward: /ˈbrɔːdən/ in British English and /ˈbrɔːdən/ or /ˈbrɑːdən/ in American English. The stress is always on the first syllable.
It is often followed by a noun, such as 'broaden the search' or 'broaden the discussion.' It can also be used intransitively in some contexts, such as 'The river begins to broaden as it reaches the sea.' It rhymes with words like sodden, trodden, and moden (in some dialects).
Fun Fact
It shares the same root as 'breadth'.
Pronunciation Guide
Sounds like 'BRAW-den'.
Sounds like 'BRAW-den' or 'BRAH-den'.
Common Errors
- Mispronouncing the 'o' as a short 'o'.
- Forgetting the 'n' ending.
- Adding an extra syllable.
Rhymes With
Difficulty Rating
Easy to understand
Useful in essays
Common in professional talk
Clear pronunciation
What to Learn Next
Prerequisites
Learn Next
Avançado
Grammar to Know
Suffix -en
widen, broaden, deepen
Transitive vs Intransitive
He broadened the road / The road broadened
Regular Verbs
broaden - broadened - broadened
Examples by Level
The workers will broaden the road.
Workers make road wider.
Verb + Object.
I want to broaden my knowledge.
I want to learn more.
Verb + Possessive pronoun.
The river begins to broaden here.
The river gets wider.
Intransitive usage.
We broaden our search for answers.
We look in more places.
Simple present.
She needs to broaden her style.
She needs new ideas.
Infinitive pattern.
They broadened the school program.
They added more classes.
Past tense.
Broaden your view of the world.
Look at more things.
Imperative.
The path will broaden soon.
The path will get wider.
Future tense.
The company wants to broaden its market.
Travel helps to broaden your mind.
We should broaden our discussion.
He is broadening his collection.
The bridge was broadened last year.
She is broadening her social circle.
They broadened the rules for students.
The horizon seemed to broaden.
The university aims to broaden access to education.
We need to broaden the scope of this project.
Her experience broadened her perspective on life.
The debate broadened to include new issues.
They are broadening their range of products.
Broadening your vocabulary is essential for fluency.
The law was broadened to protect more citizens.
He hopes to broaden his career options.
The firm is broadening its influence in the region.
We must broaden our understanding of the crisis.
The seminar helped broaden our collective knowledge.
They broadened the criteria for the scholarship.
His interest in history broadened over time.
The policy change broadened the tax base.
She sought to broaden her artistic horizons.
The discussion broadened into a global debate.
The research serves to broaden the existing paradigm.
The author seeks to broaden the reader's empathy.
They broadened the discourse on human rights.
The initiative aims to broaden the cultural narrative.
Broadening the scope of inquiry is vital for science.
The strategy broadened the company's competitive edge.
His work broadened the definition of modern art.
The scope of the investigation was broadened significantly.
The movement aimed to broaden the democratic mandate.
Her scholarship has broadened the canon of literature.
They sought to broaden the epistemological framework.
The treaty broadened the cooperation between nations.
The exhibition broadened the public's aesthetic sensibility.
The policy effectively broadened the social safety net.
The analysis broadened our grasp of the phenomenon.
The project broadened the institutional reach.
Colocações comuns
Idioms & Expressions
"broaden one's horizons"
To learn more about the world.
Studying abroad really broadened my horizons.
neutral"broaden the mind"
To become more open-minded.
Travel is said to broaden the mind.
neutral"broaden the scope"
To include more items.
We should broaden the scope of the investigation.
formal"broaden the appeal"
To make more popular.
The changes were made to broaden the appeal.
neutral"broaden the base"
To get more supporters.
The candidate needs to broaden the base.
formalEasily Confused
Both mean to make wider.
Widen is more physical.
Widen the road vs Broaden the mind.
Both mean to grow.
Expand is more general.
Expand the business vs Broaden the scope.
Both are -en verbs.
Lengthen is for length, broaden for width.
Lengthen the rope vs Broaden the path.
It is the adjective form.
Broad is a state, broaden is an action.
The road is broad vs We will broaden the road.
Sentence Patterns
Subject + broaden + object
Travel broadens the mind.
Subject + broaden + prep + object
We need to broaden the scope of the project.
Infinitive + broaden
I want to broaden my experience.
Passive + broaden
The criteria were broadened.
Broadening + noun
Broadening the debate is important.
Família de palavras
Nouns
Verbs
Adjectives
Relacionado
How to Use It
7
Formality Scale
Erros comuns
While 'broaden out' exists, 'broaden' is usually sufficient.
Broaden is a verb, not an adjective. Use 'broader' for comparison.
Redundant. Just say 'widen the road'.
Mindness is not a word.
The 'out' is unnecessary.
Tips
Use it for growth
Always use it when talking about positive expansion.
Verb form
Don't confuse it with the adjective 'broad'.
Word Web
Connect it to 'expand' and 'widen'.
Travel context
Native speakers love 'broaden horizons'.
Clear vowels
Make sure the 'aw' sound is clear.
Don't say 'more broaden'
Use 'broader' instead.
Old English
It comes from 'brad' meaning wide.
Road trick
Think of a road getting wider.
Read articles
Look for it in business news.
Past tense
It is a regular verb: broadened.
Memorize It
Mnemonic
B-ROAD-en: Make the road wider!
Visual Association
A narrow path turning into a wide highway.
Word Web
Desafio
Use 'broaden' in three sentences today.
Origem da palavra
Old English
Original meaning: To make wide
Contexto cultural
None.
Used frequently in self-improvement and business contexts.
Practice in Real Life
Real-World Contexts
At work
- broaden the scope
- broaden market reach
- broaden the strategy
At school
- broaden knowledge
- broaden the curriculum
- broaden understanding
Travel
- broaden horizons
- broaden perspectives
- broaden world view
Personal growth
- broaden skills
- broaden interests
- broaden mind
Conversation Starters
"How can you broaden your knowledge of the world?"
"Do you think traveling really helps to broaden the mind?"
"Why might a company want to broaden its market?"
"What is one skill you would like to broaden?"
"How has your perspective broadened over the last few years?"
Journal Prompts
Write about a time you tried to broaden your horizons.
How does learning a new language broaden your thinking?
Describe a project you would like to broaden.
What does it mean to broaden your social circle?
Perguntas frequentes
8 perguntasYes, it is a verb.
Yes, but 'broaden' is more common.
Broad.
It is neutral and professional.
Yes, mostly.
Yes, that is a common phrase.
Yes, very often.
Breadth.
Teste-se
I want to ___ my knowledge.
Broaden means to increase.
Which means to make wider?
Broaden is the correct verb.
Broaden can be used for abstract ideas like knowledge.
Yes, it is very common for abstract concepts.
Word
Significado
Matches synonyms and antonyms.
Correct order is 'Travel to broaden your horizons'.
Pontuação: /5
Summary
Broaden is the perfect verb to describe growth, whether you are widening a path or expanding your own horizons.
- Broaden means to make wider or more extensive.
- It is used for both physical objects and abstract ideas.
- Commonly used in professional and academic settings.
- It is a regular verb with the past form 'broadened'.
Use it for growth
Always use it when talking about positive expansion.
Verb form
Don't confuse it with the adjective 'broad'.
Word Web
Connect it to 'expand' and 'widen'.
Travel context
Native speakers love 'broaden horizons'.
Exemplo
Traveling is a great way to broaden your horizons and see the world differently.
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