Broad — Meaning, Definition & Synonyms

adjective adverb noun /ˈbrȯd/

Meaning & Definition of Broad

Broad (adjective)

  1. having ample extent from side to side or between limits
  2. having a specified extension from side to side
  3. extending far and wide, spacious

Broad (adverb)

  1. in a broad manner, fully

Broad (noun)

  1. woman
  2. an expansion of a river —often used in plural

Broad (adjective) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

  1. having a greater than usual measure across

    "an unusually broad expanse of water in the island-dotted lake"

    similar: fat, thick, wide
    related: expansive, extensive, sweeping, commodious, roomy, spacious, outsize, oversize, sizable, substantial, tidy, voluminous
    opposite: hairline, narrow, paper-thin, skinny, slender, slim, slim-jim, thin
    near: fine, hairlike, reedlike, elongate, needlelike, bottleneck, close, compressed, condensed, constricted, contracted, squeezed, tight, tightened, attenuate, attenuated, small, smallish, undersized

  2. having considerable extent

    "her broad knowledge of American politics makes her a much-sought-after guest on talk shows"

    similar: deep, expansive, extended, extensive, far-flung, far-reaching, rangy, sweeping, wide, wide-ranging, widespread
    related: comprehensive, general, global, inclusive, boundless, endless, infinite, limitless, unlimited, capacious, commodious, roomy, spacious
    opposite: narrow
    near: circumscribed, limited, restricted

  3. not subject to misinterpretation or more than one interpretation

    "gave them a broad hint that it was time to leave"

    similar: apparent, bald, bald-faced, barefaced, bright-line, clear, clear-cut, crystal clear, decided, distinct, evident, lucid, luculent, luminous, manifest, nonambiguous, obvious, open-and-shut, palpable, patent, pellucid, perspicuous, plain, ringing, straightforward, transparent, unambiguous, unambivalent, unequivocal, unmistakable
    related: cognizable, cognoscible, comprehendible, comprehensible, digestible, fathomable, graspable, intelligible, knowable, understandable, self-evident, self-explanatory, clean-cut, simple, tidy, uncomplicated, overt, undisguised, appreciable, perceptible, recognizable, sensible, tangible, discernible, noticeable, observable, visible, black-and-white, explicit, trenchant, well-defined, clean, decipherable, fair, legible, readable
    opposite: ambiguous, clouded, cryptic, dark, enigmatic, equivocal, indistinct, mysterious, nonobvious, obfuscated, obscure, unapparent, unclarified, unclear
    near: incomprehensible, indecipherable, unfathomable, unintelligible, unknowable, impalpable, imperceptible, inappreciable, indiscernible, insensible, cloudy, gauzy, gray, hazy, imprecise, indefinite, indeterminate, misty, murky, nebulous, noncommittal, sketchy, slippery, subtle, vague, illegible, undecipherable, unreadable

  4. relating to the main elements and not to specific details

    "a broad overview of the topic"

    similar: all-around, bird's-eye, general, nonspecific, overall
    related: comprehensive, inclusive, absolute, boundless, expansive, extensive, infinite, panoramic, sweeping, vast, wide, indeterminate, nebulous, nondescript, vague, unlimited, unrestricted, unspecified
    opposite: close-up, delineated, detailed, molecular, particularized, specific
    near: limited, restricted, specified, distinct, explicit, precise, sharp, comprehensive, elaborate, full, mapped (out), thorough, enumerated, inventoried, itemized, listed, individual, singular, particular, peculiar

Related Entry: Broad-brush (adjective)

Broad-brush is a different word from Broad. The synonyms below are for broad-brush, not for broad.

  1. belonging or relating to the whole

    "an unfair, broad-brush accusation of corruption in the statehouse"

    similar: across-the-board, blanket, common, general, generic, global, overall, universal
    related: all-embracing, broad, broad-gauge, broadscale, comprehensive, extensive, inclusionary, overarching, pervasive, sweeping, ubiquitous, wholesale, wide, widespread, aggregate, collective, complete, full, plenary, planetary, worldwide
    opposite: individual, particular
    near: component, constituent, cross-sectional, divisional, fragmentary, partial, local, localized, regional, sectional

Related Entry: Broad-gauge (adjective)

Broad-gauge is a different word from Broad. The synonyms below are for broad-gauge, not for broad.

  1. covering everything or all important points

    "a broad-gauge book about roses that covers just about everything you could want to know about roses"

    similar: all-embracing, all-in (chiefly British), all-inclusive, compendious, complete, comprehensive, cover-all, cyclopedic, embracive, encyclopedic, exhaustive, full, global, in-depth, inclusive, omnibus, panoramic, thorough, universal
    related: broad, catholic, encyclical, general, inclusionary, overall, cosmic, extensive, far, far-reaching, grand, large, panoptic, sweeping, vast, wide, wide-ranging, blanket, indiscriminate, unrestricted
    near: circumscribed, limited, narrow, restricted, specialized, exact, precise, individual, singular, specific, incomplete, patchy, sketchy

Related Entry: Broad-minded (adjective)

Broad-minded is a different word from Broad. The synonyms below are for broad-minded, not for broad.

  1. not bound by traditional ways or beliefs

    "a broad-minded philosophy of parenting"

    similar: liberal, nonconventional, nonorthodox, nontraditional, open-minded, progressive, radical, unconventional, unorthodox
    related: advanced, contemporary, modern, forbearing, indulgent, large-minded, lenient, permissive, tolerant, extreme, impartial, objective, unbiased
    opposite: conservative, conventional, hidebound, nonprogressive, old-fashioned, orthodox, stodgy, traditional
    near: hard, rigid, strict, doctrinal, dogmatic, bigoted, blinkered, intolerant, narrow-minded, reactionary, unreconstructed

  2. willing to consider new or different ideas

    "we have to be broad-minded on this issue, since traditional solutions no longer work"

    similar: open, open-minded, receptive
    related: impartial, neutral, objective, unbiased, unprejudiced, easygoing, nonjudgmental, tolerant, calm, detached, dispassionate, amenable, compliant, impressionable, suggestible, susceptible, persuadable, persuasible
    opposite: narrow-minded, unreceptive
    near: biased, narrow, one-sided, partial, partisan, prejudiced, bigoted, intolerant

Related Entry: Broad-mindedness (noun)

Broad-mindedness is a different word from Broad. The synonyms below are for broad-mindedness, not for broad.

  1. as in tolerance, open-mindedness

    similar: open-mindedness, tolerance, apathy, indifference, unconcern, fence-sitting, straddling, detachment, disinterest, disinterestedness, equity, evenhandedness, fair-mindedness, fairness, impartiality, justice, neutralism, neutrality, nonpartisanship, objectiveness, objectivity
    opposite: bias, favor, favoritism, nonobjectivity, one-sidedness, partiality, partisanship, prejudice, chauvinism, nepotism, subjectiveness, subjectivity, bent, inclination, leaning, penchant, predilection, predisposition, proclivity, propensity, tendency, preconception, prejudgment

Synonyms, Thesaurus & Another Word for Broad

The most common words with a similar meaning to Broad:

fat, thick, wide, deep, expansive, extended, extensive, far-flung, far-reaching, rangy, sweeping, wide-ranging, widespread, apparent, bald, bald-faced, barefaced, bright-line, clear, clear-cut, crystal clear, decided, distinct, evident, lucid, luculent, luminous, manifest, nonambiguous, obvious, open-and-shut, palpable, patent, pellucid, perspicuous, plain, ringing, straightforward, transparent, unambiguous

Antonyms & Opposite Words for Broad

Words with the opposite meaning of Broad:

hairline, narrow, paper-thin, skinny, slender, slim, slim-jim, thin, ambiguous, clouded, cryptic, dark, enigmatic, equivocal, indistinct, mysterious, nonobvious, obfuscated, obscure, unapparent, unclarified, unclear, close-up, delineated, detailed, molecular, particularized, specific

Related Words for Broad

commodious, roomy, spacious, outsize, oversize, sizable, substantial, tidy, voluminous, comprehensive, global, inclusive, boundless, endless, infinite, limitless, unlimited, capacious, cognizable, cognoscible, comprehendible, comprehensible, digestible, fathomable, graspable, intelligible, knowable, understandable, self-evident, self-explanatory

Near Antonyms of Broad

fine, hairlike, reedlike, elongate, needlelike, bottleneck, close, compressed, condensed, constricted, contracted, squeezed, tight, tightened, attenuate, attenuated, small, smallish, undersized, circumscribed, limited, restricted, incomprehensible, indecipherable, unfathomable, unintelligible, unknowable, impalpable, imperceptible, inappreciable

Word Forms of Broad

Inflections: broader, broadest

Derived words: broadly (adverb), broadness (noun)

Origin & Etymology of Broad

Middle English brood, from Old English brād; akin to Old High German breit broad

First known use: before 12th century

Vocabulary Lists & Topics for Broad

Words & Phrases Containing Broad

broad arrow, broad bean, broad-brush, Broad Church, broad-gauge, broad jump

Frequently Asked Questions about Broad

What does "Broad" mean?

"Broad" means having ample extent from side to side or between limits. As an an adjective, an adverb and a noun, it is defined as: having ample extent from side to side or between limits. It has 4 distinct senses.

What is another word for "Broad"?

Other words for "Broad" include fat, thick, wide, deep, expansive, extended, extensive and far-flung. The best synonym depends on which meaning of "Broad" you intend.

What are different ways to say "Broad"?

There are 110 words and phrases with a similar meaning to "Broad". Common alternatives include fat, thick, wide, deep, expansive, extended, extensive, far-flung, far-reaching and rangy.

What is the opposite of "Broad"?

Antonyms of "Broad" include hairline, narrow, paper-thin, skinny, slender, slim, slim-jim and thin. Near antonyms include fine, hairlike, reedlike and elongate.

How do you use "Broad" in a sentence?

Examples of "Broad" in a sentence: "an unusually broad expanse of water in the island-dotted lake"; "her broad knowledge of American politics makes her a much-sought-after guest on talk shows"; "gave them a broad hint that it was time to leave".

Is "Broad" a noun, verb, or adjective?

"Broad" can be used as an adjective, an adverb and a noun, depending on the context.

Is "Broad" useful for IELTS, TOEFL, and other English exams?

As a B2-level word, "Broad" is typical of Cambridge B2 First (FCE), IELTS band 5.5–6.5, TOEFL iBT 72–94, PTE Academic 59–75, TOEIC Listening & Reading 785+.

How do you pronounce "Broad"?

"Broad" is pronounced /ˈbrȯd/.