From Longman Dictionary of Contemporary Englishbroadbroad1 /brɔːd $ brɒːd/ ●●● S2 W2 adjective 1 WIDEWIDEwide a road, river, or part of someone’s body etc that is broad is wide OPP narrow → breadth We went along a broad passage. He was six feet tall, with broad shoulders.six feet/three metres etc broad The room is three metres long and two metres broad.RegisterIn everyday English, wide is more common than broad:a wide river/street/corridorThey sell a wide range of bikes.Broad is often used when describing someone's shoulders.2 INCLUDING A LOTincluding a lotLOT/LARGE NUMBER OR AMOUNT including many different kinds of things or people OPP narrow → breadth The show aims to reach the broadest possible audience.broad range/spectrum Students here study a broad range of subjects.broad category/field/area etc Private pension schemes fall into two broad categories. a party which lacks a broad base of political support The play is a comedy, in the broadest sense of the word.3 GENERALMAINgeneral concerning the main ideas or parts of something rather than all the details The client should understand, in broad terms, the likely cost of the case.broad consensus/agreement etc The members were in broad agreement.broad outline/framework I’ll give you a broad outline of the plan.4 LARGE AREABIGlarge area covering a large area a broad expanse of water5 WAY OF SPEAKINGVERYway of speaking a broad accent clearly shows where you come from SYN strong a broad Scottish accent 6 → broad smile/grin7 → in broad daylight8 → broad hint9 → a broad church10 humour broad humour is rather rude or concerned with sex11 → broad in the beamCOLLOCATIONS – Meaning 2: including many different kinds of things or peoplebroad + NOUNa broad rangeSport is a part of a broad range of activities that we call leisure.a broad spectrum (=range)Among the public there is a broad spectrum of opinion.a broad categoryOur range of programmes fall into three broad categories.a broad area/field (=including a lot of different things)Psychobiology is a broad area covering many different topics.a broad cross-section (=a varied group that is typical of a larger varied group)We offer entertainment to appeal to a broad cross-section of people.a broad baseThe course is designed to provide a broad base for students looking to work in IT.a broad alliance/coalitionThe government was a broad alliance of eight political parties.a broad curriculum (=one that includes a range of subjects)Students are encouraged to follow a broad curriculum in the first year.have broad appeal (=be attractive to many different types of people)Their music has a very broad appeal.
Examples from the Corpus
broad• There was broad agreement on the issue of equal pay for women.• The program is now attracting broader audiences.• Successful business strategies fall into three broad categories.• He had created a broad consensus among different groups of Americans.• It is more interesting to classify strategies according to certain categories, and examine the success of these broader divisions.• The decline partly reflects a broader downturn in global stock markets.• To say that people are healthier than they used to be is a broad generalization -- the reality is a little more complex.• President Clinton called attention to the broader issues with his veto of the balanced budget act.• Can you give me a broad outline of what the speech was about.• the broad plains of lower Mesopotamia• But habeas corpus is in fact a federal civil proceeding, where much broader rules apply.• a tall, broad-shouldered man• He was six feet tall with broad shoulders and strong arms.• Military officials gave a few broad statements about the bombing raid.• Houston's broad streets• This is a larger block set between the arch and the capital to provide a broader supporting top for the arcade above.• The broader tradition is a typically nationalist one, seeing national liberation through war as honourable and singularly justified.• We drove down the broad tree-lined avenue.• It's only a short course, but it's enough to give you a broad understanding of the subject.• The teacher may come to comprehend a broader vision of the world.• Michigan once provided the broadest welfare benefits in the U.S.in the broadest sense of the word• We encourage experimentation in the broadest sense of the word.broad outline/framework• That period now covers the year ahead and two succeeding years in broader outline.• These trends have to be placed within the broader framework of changes in the total labour force.• The whole business therefore needs to be seen in the broader framework of how you envisage your future.broadbroad2 noun [countable] American English spoken not polite WOMANan offensive word for a womanOrigin broad1 Old English brad 