broad
B1Neutral to formal (especially in extended senses).
Definition
Meaning
large from side to side; extensive in area or scope.
Wide-ranging, inclusive, or general rather than detailed or specific; can describe an accent, a category, humour, daylight, or approval.
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
As an adjective, its primary spatial sense is 'wide'. In extended uses, it implies generality ('broad agreement'), inclusiveness ('broad spectrum'), or lack of refinement ('broad humour'). The noun sense ('broad' = woman) is dated and offensive slang.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
UK: More common in fixed phrases ('broad bean', 'Broadmoor', 'in broad daylight'). US: Noun slang for woman is more historically recognized but now offensive. US uses 'broadband' more frequently in tech contexts.
Connotations
UK: Neutral spatial sense; 'broad church' (inclusive group) is common politically. US: Slang noun is derogatory and dated.
Frequency
Spatial sense equally common. Extended senses ('broad outline', 'broadly speaking') are slightly more formal in UK.
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
broad + N (broad shoulders)broadly + Adj (broadly similar)broadly + V (broadly speaking)in + broad + N (in broad terms)Vocabulary
Synonyms
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “broadly speaking”
- “in broad daylight”
- “a broad church”
- “a broad brush (approach)”
Usage
Context Usage
Business
"We reached broad consensus on the quarterly strategy."
Academic
"The study took a broad view of socio-economic factors."
Everyday
"He has very broad shoulders from swimming."
Technical
"The antenna operates across a broad frequency band."
Examples
By Part of Speech
verb
British English
- (Archaic) To broad the land (plough).
- (No modern common usage)
American English
- (No modern common usage)
adverb
British English
- (Archaic) He was lying broad awake.
- (Rare)
American English
- (Rare)
adjective
British English
- He has a broad Yorkshire accent.
- The proposal received broad support from the committee.
American English
- She gave him a broad smile.
- We need a broad approach to solve this issue.
Examples
By CEFR Level
- The river is very broad here.
- She painted with broad strokes.
- There is broad agreement on the new policy.
- The valley is broad and flat.
- Broadly speaking, the results support our hypothesis.
- His shoulders are broad and strong.
- The committee took a broad-brush approach to the reforms.
- He interpreted the mandate in the broadest possible terms.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of a BROAD ROAD — it's wide and open for many types of traffic (or ideas).
Conceptual Metaphor
KNOWLEDGE/IDEAS ARE SPACES (broad knowledge = wide area of understanding).
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- Avoid confusing with 'wide' only; 'broad' often implies more than physical width (e.g., 'broad mind' = открытый ум, not just 'wide').
- Do not use 'broad' as a direct translation for 'большой' in the sense of size/bigness; it is specifically 'wide'.
- The noun 'broad' (woman) is offensive and should never be used.
Common Mistakes
- Using 'broad' instead of 'wide' for simple physical descriptions (both possible, but 'broad' is less common for objects like tables).
- Confusing 'broad' with 'general' in negative contexts ('too broad' can mean 'not specific enough').
- Misspelling as 'broard'.
Practice
Quiz
Which phrase uses 'broad' correctly to mean 'general'?
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
'Broad' often suggests spaciousness or comprehensiveness, while 'wide' is more neutral for physical measurement. 'Broad' is more common for body parts (shoulders, back), abstract concepts (agreement, spectrum), and landscapes. They are often interchangeable, but idioms are fixed.
Yes, but the main noun sense (slang for a woman) is now considered offensive and dated. Other noun uses are rare (e.g., the broad part of something) or technical (e.g., 'broad' in electronics).
'Broadly' is an adverb meaning 'in a general way' or 'for the most part.' Common phrases: 'broadly speaking' (generally), 'broadly similar' (mostly alike), 'broadly defined' (defined in a general way).
Yes, if something is 'too broad,' it can mean vague, lacking detail, or over-generalised (e.g., 'His criticism was too broad to be helpful.'). 'Broad humour' means crude or obvious humour.
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