Basic+ Word of the Day: broad

broad (adjective) LISTEN

The truck is too broad for one lane of traffic.

Broad means ‘wide.’

  • Lake Michigan is so broad that it seems like an ocean.
  • Phil's shoulders are too broad to fit into that jacket.
  • The professor has a broad range of interests.

Broad also means ‘general.’

  • In a broad sense, eating fruits and vegetables makes you feel good.

Don't confuse it with

board: a long, rectangular piece of wood. Example: “Andrew put several boards together to make the table.”

abroad: in a foreign country. Example: “Elise spent two years abroad learning German.”

Common uses

broad daylight: open and full daylight. Example: “They were robbed in broad daylight.”

 

Did you know?

Broad is a slang term for a woman, which you may see in movies of the 1940s and 1950s. But calling a woman a broad today would be considered an insult.

Related words

broadly: generally. Example: “Broadly speaking, the students seem well prepared.”

In pop culture

Broad City is a US comedy series about two young women living in New York. In this clip, they go shopping for fans. Do you think Abbi shops here often?

There are other meanings of broad.
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