broad-minded
BRAWD-meyn-did
/ˌbrɔːdˈmaɪndɪd/
Tolerant and open-minded; willing to accept opinions, beliefs, or behaviors that differ from one's own.
Highlights intellectual openness and freedom from prejudice or moral rigidity.
The story behind the word. Formed in 19th-century English as a direct descriptive compound joining 'broad' (wide, expansive) with 'minded'. It arose to praise thinkers whose philosophical horizons extended far beyond local dogmas.
Word relationships
- open-minded: Synonymous, but broad-minded often stresses freedom from moral or social prejudice.
- tolerant: Tolerant implies putting up with differences; broad-minded implies genuinely welcoming diverse viewpoints.
- narrow-minded: Unwilling to accept different opinions or customs.
- bigoted: Obstinately attached to unreasonable prejudices.
Commonly confused with
- absent-minded: Absent-minded means forgetful or distracted; broad-minded means open and tolerant.
Word family
- broad-mindedness (noun): The quality of being open to different ideas and lifestyles.
Collocations
- broad-minded perspective
- broad-minded attitude
- exceptionally broad-minded
- broad-minded leader
Idioms & expressions
- open-minded
- have a wide horizon
Example sentences
- "Living in three foreign countries made her remarkably broad-minded and appreciative of non-traditional lifestyles." Cultural immersion
- "The mayor took a broad-minded approach to urban planning, encouraging artistic expressions across all neighborhoods." Community leadership
Memory hook
A BROAD MIND has a wide doorway for new ideas. Wide horizons of the mind.
When not to use
Do not use to describe emotional calm in physical danger; it relates to mental openness.
Fun facts
- In Victorian English, calling someone 'broad' could carry a negative connotation of being vulgar, but 'broad-minded' was explicitly coined as a virtue.
Related words
Explore more words
flexible, latitude, bigotry, charitable, intolerance, inclusive
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