across the board

1 of 2

phrase

Synonyms of across the boardnext
: so as to include or affect all classes or categories
cut spending across the board
also : in all areas or respects
considered an average player across the board

across-the-board

2 of 2

adjective

1
: placed to win if a competitor wins, places, or shows
an across-the-board racing bet
2
: embracing or affecting all classes or categories : blanket
an across-the-board price increase

Examples of across the board in a Sentence

Adjective an across-the-board reduction in the state's budget because of declining revenues
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Adjective
Hertzog included an image displaying feeder cattle futures and showing across-the-board declines in contract prices for young cattle. Hugh Cameron, MSNBC Newsweek, 25 Nov. 2025 Spitznagle said that across-the-board approach prevents users from switching products instead of quitting or pulling back. Leslie Bonilla Muñiz, IndyStar, 25 Nov. 2025 Sinners topped the Critics Choice Awards shortlists with a whopping 13 mentions and is the only film to be named on all 11 of the lists, earning across-the-board recognition in every category. Pete Hammond, Deadline, 24 Nov. 2025 The decisive across-the-board wins would suggest big support for the party when compared to the alternative. Philip Elliott, Time, 10 Nov. 2025 See All Example Sentences for across the board

Word History

First Known Use

Adjective

1945, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of across the board was in 1945

Browse Nearby Words

See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Across the board.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/across%20the%20board. Accessed 12 Dec. 2025.

More from Merriam-Webster on across the board

Last Updated: - Definition revised
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