broaden

broaden — 動詞

1. to spread out more from side to side, or to make something do this.

1.動詞及物 / 不及物B2
釋義

變寬；拓寬

讓寬度變大

to spread out more from side to side, or to make something do this.

例句

Workers broadened the village road before the rainy season began.

工人們在雨季來臨前把村裡的路拓寬了。

broaden + road (physical object)

Near the bridge, the river broadens and slows after the bend.

靠近橋的地方，河道轉彎後變寬，水流也慢了下來。

intransitive use with a natural feature

同義詞
  • widen

    closest everyday word for increasing physical width

  • expand

    more general; can mean getting bigger in several directions

  • enlarge

    general and slightly more formal; not limited to width

反義詞
  • narrow

    to become or make something less wide

  • tighten

    used for spaces or openings becoming smaller

文法句型

broaden + noun (road, window, shoulders)

something broadens

用法筆記

Often used for things with a clear physical width, such as roads, rivers, windows, or shoulders. Distinguish from sense 2, which is usually about scope, audience, or coverage rather than shape.

常見錯誤

❌They broadened the bridge by ten meters longer.
✅They broadened the bridge by ten meters.
💡'broaden' changes width, not length.

2. to make something reach more people, include more things, or cover a larger area

2.動詞及物C1
釋義

擴大；擴展

讓範圍或對象更廣

to make something reach more people, include more things, or cover a larger area.

例句

The museum hopes to broaden its appeal with family tickets this summer.

那家博物館希望今年夏天靠家庭套票吸引更多家庭觀眾。

broaden + appeal

The mayor broadened the safety plan to include small fishing towns.

市長擴大了安全計畫的適用範圍，把小漁村也納入其中。

broaden + plan + to include

同義詞
  • expand

    most general; often about size, activity, or business growth

  • extend

    stresses pushing a limit or reach farther outward

  • widen

    possible figuratively, but usually sounds more concrete

反義詞
  • limit

    to keep range or access small

  • restrict

    to reduce what is included or who can take part

文法句型

broaden + noun (appeal, access, debate, search)

broaden + noun + to include + noun

用法筆記

Object is usually an abstract noun such as appeal, access, market, debate, or search. Common when a plan, service, or activity starts to include more people or more kinds of things.

常見錯誤

❌The sale broadened our customer numbers.
✅The sale broadened our customer base.
💡'broaden' is about range or type, not simply a higher total.

3. to give someone more knowledge, experience, or understanding, or to grow in thes

3.動詞及物 / 不及物C1
釋義

開闊；增廣

增加見識與理解

to give someone more knowledge, experience, or understanding, or to grow in these ways yourself.

例句

Living in Seoul broadened Hana's view of how cities can work.

住在首爾開闊了 Hana 對城市如何運作的看法。

broaden + a person's view

Reading village history broadened my understanding of the island's past.

閱讀鄉村歷史增廣了我對那座島過去的理解。

broaden + understanding of + topic

同義詞
  • enrich

    stresses adding value or depth to experience

  • deepen

    focuses on stronger understanding of one area, not a wider range

  • open up

    informal; common for new experiences changing how someone thinks

反義詞
  • narrow

    to make ideas or experience less wide in range

  • limit

    to keep knowledge or understanding from growing

文法句型

broaden + noun (knowledge, understanding, view)

something broadens

用法筆記

Common with words like knowledge, understanding, experience, and horizons. Distinguish from sense 2: this sense changes how much a person knows or sees, not how widely a service or activity reaches.

常見錯誤

❌The trip broadened my horizon.
✅The trip broadened my horizons.
💡the fixed expression usually uses the plural 'horizons' for wider experience.