The two adjectives, WIDE and BROAD, are synonymous to an extent, but they are not completely interchangeable. As a rule of thumb, WIDE is usually used in physical meaning and BROAD in figurative meaning. So, let’s discuss the topic of wide vs broad.
But before we start, maybe you’d like to watch the video version of this post. If so, here it is:
WIDE
So, if you measure the distance between the walls of your room, you can see whether the room is WIDE enough for the furniture you want to buy to fit in. Or if you yawn, you usually open your mouth quite WIDE. In both examples there’s a physical distance that matters, be it between the walls of your room or your lips. By the way, in the latter example the word WIDE is used as an adverb.
Also, if you specify the exact width, you usually use WIDE, like for example:
three meters WIDE
WIDE is used if something is not limited in range or amount:
a WIDE range of topics
WIDE experience
a WIDE selection of hats
a WIDE variety of trees
or if large numbers of people or things is involved:
a WIDE audience
a WIDE assortment of products
The adverb WIDE also means COMPLETELY:
to open one’s eyes WIDE
to spread the map out WIDE
BROAD
On the other hand, if two things overlap to a great extent, you say they overlap BROADLY. You don’t mean a physical distance here. Or, if something happens in the middle of the day, you can say it happens in BROAD daylight.
This distinction between physical and figurative helps, but things aren’t that easy, I’m afraid. The adjective BROAD is also often used in physical sense. Then it’s interchangeable with WIDE:
a WIDE / BROAD road
You can also come across BROAD rivers, BROAD avenues, BROAD prairies and BROAD valleys, for example. In such examples BROAD is often synonymous with the adjective VAST or EXTENSIVE.
When you describe someone’s appearance, you will also use BROAD. I’m sure you know someone with BROAD shoulders or a BROAD face.
BROAD is also used if something is wide in range or amount:
music is a BROAD category
a BROAD spectrum of specialists
BROAD may also mean GENERAL:
the BROAD outlines of a problem
the BROAD sense of something
Collocations with WIDE and BROAD
There are many collocations with WIDE and BROAD. Some of them have been covered in this article, but there are some new ones as well. Here are some other collocations with WIDE:
WIDE experience
WIDE selection
WIDE variety
WIDE appeal
WIDE interests
WIDE distribution
WIDE area
WIDE margin
and some with BROAD:
BROAD daylight
BROAD shoulders
BROAD outline
BROAD sense
BROAD agreement
BROAD smile
BROAD grin
BROAD accent
BROAD mind
BROAD support