Word Pronunciation & Dictionary

abroad

/əˈbɹoːd/

Word Rarity Uncommon

Frequency: 4.39 in modern English

Syllables: a-broad
IPA: /əˈbɹoːd/

9

Scrabble Score

6

Letters

2

Syllables

5

Unique Chars

Meaning

adv

Beyond the bounds of a country; in foreign countries.

adv

At large; widely; broadly; over a wide space.

Dated

adv

Without a certain confine; outside the house; away from one's abode.

Dated

adv

Before the public at large; throughout society or the world; here and there; moving without restriction.

Dated

adv

Not on target; astray; in error; confused; dazed.

adv

Played elsewhere than one's home grounds.

noun

Countries or lands abroad.

prep

Throughout, over.

Example Sentences

"A closer look at North Korean history reveals what Pyongyang’s leaders really want their near-farcical belligerence to achieve — a reminder to the world that North Korea exists, and an impression abroad that its leaders are irrational and unpredictable."
"Another prince, deposed by the Revolution, was living abroad."
"A tree spreads its branches abroad."
""Faither!" I cried as I undid the bolt and pushed the leaves of the door abroad, "Faither, ye are welcome hame!""
"I went to St. James', where another was preaching in the court abroad."
"Again: The lonely fox roams far abroad, / On ſecret rapine bent and midnight fraud; […]"

Etymology

First attested in mid 13th century. From Middle English abrood (“broadly widely scattered”), from a- (“on, in”) + brood (“broad”). Equivalent to a- + broad.

Origin

Source language: Middle English

Word Breakdown

Prefix: a
Root: abrood

Regional Pronunciation

American English: /əˈbɹoːd/
British English: /əˈbɹɔːd/

Usage

Dated

Inflected Forms

abrode (alternative, obsolete) overbroad (alternative, obsolete) abread (alternative, Scotland) abreed (alternative, Scotland) abrede (alternative, Scotland) abraid (alternative, Scotland)

Derived Forms

abroadness

Phrases

be abroad go abroad study abroad the schoolmaster is abroad near abroad

Synonyms

overseas afield

Rhymes With

broad fraud mod claude flawed applaud aud maude maud laude clawed defraud

Questions

How do you pronounce abroad?: The recorded pronunciation is /əˈbɹoːd/.
What does abroad mean?: Beyond the bounds of a country; in foreign countries.
Where does abroad come from?: It is traced to Middle English.

How to pronounce abroad

Open the pronunciation page — Open the Speakur entry for “abroad”.
Read the phonetic spelling — Read the IPA spelling (/əˈbɹoːd/) so you know which sounds to aim for.
Play the audio — Click Play to hear reference audio for “abroad”.
Repeat and practice — Say “abroad” aloud, matching stress and vowels until it feels natural.