wide 1 of 2

Definition of widenext

wide

2 of 2

adverb

Synonym Chooser

How is the word wide different from other adjectives like it?

The words broad and deep are common synonyms of wide. While all three words mean "having horizontal extent," wide is more common when units of measurement are mentioned, or when applied to unfilled space between limits.

rugs eight feet wide
a wide doorway

In what contexts can broad take the place of wide?

Although the words broad and wide have much in common, broad is preferred when full horizontal extent is considered.

broad shoulders

When is deep a more appropriate choice than wide?

In some situations, the words deep and wide are roughly equivalent. However, deep may indicate horizontal extent away from the observer or from a front or peripheral point.

a deep cupboard
deep woods

How is the word wide different from other adjectives like it?

The words broad and deep are common synonyms of wide. While all three words mean "having horizontal extent," wide is more common when units of measurement are mentioned, or when applied to unfilled space between limits.

rugs eight feet wide
a wide doorway

In what contexts can broad take the place of wide?

Although the words broad and wide have much in common, broad is preferred when full horizontal extent is considered.

broad shoulders

When is deep a more appropriate choice than wide?

In some situations, the words deep and wide are roughly equivalent. However, deep may indicate horizontal extent away from the observer or from a front or peripheral point.

a deep cupboard
deep woods

Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of wide
Adjective
Whether those recordings will ever see a wider release remains uncertain. Preezy Brown, Rolling Stone, 9 Apr. 2026 Americana singer/songwriter Rhett Miller has played a wide range of venues in Connecticut over the past three decades or so, whether as a solo act or with the band Old ‘97s. Christopher Arnott, Hartford Courant, 9 Apr. 2026
Adverb
A number of developments in California’s gubernatorial race underscore that with less than a month until early primary voting begins, the race is wide open and that an opportunity exists for a candidate to break through. Douglas Schoen, Oc Register, 10 Apr. 2026 The competition in the women’s 100‑plus age group this year is wide open, the AJC’s Ken Sugiura reports. Nicole Bennett, AJC.com, 10 Apr. 2026 See All Example Sentences for wide
Recent Examples of Synonyms for wide
Adjective
  • Now, Bricks and Horses has new, broader lunch, dinner and brunch menus.
    Bud Kennedy, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 8 Apr. 2026
  • Even a single seat like GA-14 plays into the broader math of power in Washington.
    Zachary Bynum, CBS News, 8 Apr. 2026
Adjective
  • Besides the obvious, the positive benefits from space programs are extensive, including medical and technological breakthroughs that affect our daily lives in countless positive ways.
    Phillip Molnar, San Diego Union-Tribune, 10 Apr. 2026
  • The New York Times published extensive analyses of the damage to communications infrastructure and bases throughout the region.
    Geoff Brumfiel, NPR, 10 Apr. 2026
Adverb
  • Virtue isn’t quite like other hair care brands.
    Tory Johnson, ABC News, 8 Apr. 2026
  • The Service’s regional headquarters will vanish, along with most of its research facilities and experimental forests—and also quite likely the sense of mission that has animated the agency for more than a century.
    Bill McKibben, New Yorker, 7 Apr. 2026
Adjective
  • Dandelion seeds easily take hold in bare spots, so keep your lawn thick and healthy.
    Brandee Gruener, Southern Living, 11 Apr. 2026
  • In addition to a thick webbed strap that's adjustable, the bag features two exterior zippered pockets with RFID-blocking technology to protect important travel essentials like cell phones, hotel room keys, passports, and credit cards.
    Michelle Baricevic, Travel + Leisure, 11 Apr. 2026
Adjective
  • Seven people charged in connection with the explosion were arrested in a sweeping operation early Thursday morning, Reisig said, including Blackstar Fireworks owner Craig Cutright.
    Clara Harter, Los Angeles Times, 11 Apr. 2026
  • The error, which the administration admitted first to The Associated Press, prompted health analysts to question how many of the Republican administration's sweeping anti-fraud efforts around the country were based on faulty findings.
    Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 11 Apr. 2026
Adverb
  • Streamline a process by clearing your inbox fast, or create a short prep ritual before workouts, then track how your energy holds up.
    Tarot.com, New York Daily News, 9 Apr. 2026
  • His answers roll a little faster.
    Noah White, Miami Herald, 9 Apr. 2026
Adjective
  • For many involved, the partnership also represents a deeper cultural milestone, blending Korean flavors and storytelling with a brand that shaped their childhoods.
    Moná Thomas, PEOPLE, 10 Apr. 2026
  • For now, gone are the days of a seven-deep Knicks rotation under Thibodeau that forced Jalen Brunson, Karl-Anthony Towns, OG Anunoby and Hart to log heavy minutes.
    Fiifi Frimpong, New York Daily News, 10 Apr. 2026
Adverb
  • Fashion On-Theme Meryl Streep and Anne Hathaway perfectly match their fashion to the red, white, and black theme at the Devil Wears Prada 2 premiere in Seoul, South Korea on April 8.
    Katie Hill, PEOPLE, 10 Apr. 2026
  • Their schemes to push Asian-American kids out of their dream schools for racial reasons would have been perfectly legal.
    Alison Somin, Oc Register, 10 Apr. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Wide.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/wide. Accessed 13 Apr. 2026.

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