Library / English Dictionary

BROADEN

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

 I. (verb) 

Sense 1

Meaning:

Become broader

Example:

The road broadened

Classified under:

Verbs of size, temperature change, intensifying, etc.

Hypernyms (to "broaden" is one way to...):

increase (become bigger or greater in amount)

Sentence frame:

Something ----s

Sense 2

Meaning:

Make broader

Example:

broaden the road

Classified under:

Verbs of size, temperature change, intensifying, etc.

Hypernyms (to "broaden" is one way to...):

broaden; extend; widen (extend in scope or range or area)

Cause:

broaden (become broader)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s something
Something ----s somebody
Something ----s something

Sense 3

Meaning:

Vary in order to spread risk or to expand

Example:

The company diversified

Synonyms:

branch out; broaden; diversify

Classified under:

Verbs of size, temperature change, intensifying, etc.

Hypernyms (to "broaden" is one way to...):

alter; change; vary (become different in some particular way, without permanently losing one's or its former characteristics or essence)

Sentence frames:

Something ----s
Somebody ----s
Somebody ----s something

Sense 4

Meaning:

Extend in scope or range or area

Example:

Extend your backyard

Synonyms:

broaden; extend; widen

Classified under:

Verbs of size, temperature change, intensifying, etc.

Hypernyms (to "broaden" is one way to...):

increase (make bigger or more)

Verb group:

expand; extend (expand the influence of)

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "broaden"):

broaden (make broader)

territorialise; territorialize (extend by adding territory)

globalise; globalize (make world-wide in scope or application)

stretch (extend the scope or meaning of; often unduly)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s something
Something ----s something

Credits

 Context examples: 

The research study, conducted on mice, has examined the profile of the genetic changes that occur following these nerve injuries and aims to broaden our understanding of the mechanisms responsible for causing neuropathic pain.

(Genetic study paves way for new neuropathic pain treatments, University of Granada)

The Comprehensive Minority Biomedical Program (CMBP) represents an effort by the NCI to broaden participation in cancer-related research and training activities by minorities, individuals with disabilities, and individuals seeking to reenter an active research career after taking time off to attend to family responsibilities.

(Comprehensive Minority Biomedical Program, NCI Thesaurus)

While originally applied to the reportage of current events in printed form, specifically newspapers, with the advent of radio and television the use of the term has broadened to include all printed and electronic communication dealing with current affairs.

(Journalism, NLM, Medical Subject Headings)

Milverton’s smile broadened, he shrugged his shoulders removed his overcoat, folded it with great deliberation over the back of a chair, and then took a seat.

(The Return of Sherlock Holmes, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

On either side, as the path mounted, the long sweep of country broadened and expanded, sloping down on the one side through yellow forest and brown moor to the distant smoke of Lymington and the blue misty channel which lay alongside the sky-line, while to the north the woods rolled away, grove topping grove, to where in the furthest distance the white spire of Salisbury stood out hard and clear against the cloudless sky.

(The White Company, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

The face, clean-shaven, shows a hard, square chin, a large, resolute, mobile mouth, a good-sized nose, rather straight, but with quick, sensitive nostrils, that seem to broaden as the big, bushy brows come down and the mouth tightens.

(Dracula, by Bram Stoker)

His smile broadened.

(The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)