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
Ukraine’s fate is still Europe’s top foreign policy issue, fueled by fears that Moscow has wider ambitions. ABC News, 26 Mar. 2026 Those sprawling fenders clear room for taller, wider tires, including meaty 345/25/ZR 21’s in back to improve traction and cornering grip. Lawrence Ulrich, Robb Report, 26 Mar. 2026
Adverb
With the game tied at 1, the Sharks tried to win it when Macklin Celebrini passed to Dmitry Orlov, whose wrist shot went wide. ABC News, 26 Mar. 2026 Brazil’s Gabriel Martinelli also had the game’s first chance, firing wide in the 20th minute from long range. Julian Cardillo, Boston Herald, 26 Mar. 2026 See All Example Sentences for wide
Recent Examples of Synonyms for wide
Adjective
  • The agency's move from its current location in Washington, DC, to Utah's capital city is part of a broader strategy to place the forest service closer to the Western states that comprise the majority of the 193-million-acre forest system, the USDA announced March 31.
    Terry Collins, USA Today, 1 Apr. 2026
  • On the broader military front, thousands of Marines aboard the USS Tripoli arrived in the Middle East on Friday, with additional forces en route from the West Coast.
    Adeola Adeosun, MSNBC Newsweek, 31 Mar. 2026
Adjective
  • Battery life is extensive, coming in at just under 20 hours on a single charge in our testing.
    K. Thor Jensen, PC Magazine, 27 Mar. 2026
  • As with CTfastrak, the Hartford Line has spurred construction of extensive nearby housing but relatively little new business.
    Don Stacom, Hartford Courant, 27 Mar. 2026
Adverb
  • No restaurant does classic Roman quite like Piatto Romano, a cluttered trattoria smack dab in the middle of Testaccio.
    Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 31 Mar. 2026
  • At the start of the year, Jacob Elordi sat on the Jimmy Kimmel sofa to promote Wuthering Heights, wearing a pair of off-white Bottega Veneta loafers that were not quite ballet flats, but ascribed to this hybrid style (though many users compared them to ballet flats online).
    Jack Stanley, Vogue, 31 Mar. 2026
Adjective
  • Dramatic footage shows flames and thick black smoke billowing from the area around the airport, while firefighters worked to contain the blaze.
    Moriah Thomas, CNN Money, 28 Mar. 2026
  • The crowd remains thick, spanning the width of the street.
    Jenna Ebbers, Kansas City Star, 28 Mar. 2026
Adjective
  • The sweeping structures bear a striking resemblance to the sensory organs sported by members of the insect world, which eventually granted them the nickname of the Antennae Galaxies.
    Anthony Wood, Space.com, 28 Mar. 2026
  • In the past week alone, for instance, tech company Meta reportedly planned sweeping layoffs ​while unveiling, just the day before, a stock program for executives that would increase their compensation by millions of dollars.
    Frank Witsil, Freep.com, 28 Mar. 2026
Adverb
  • For a metro growing as fast as Charlotte, stores that survive will have clear identity on price, in-store experience or convenience, Lempert said.
    Charlotte Observer, Charlotte Observer, 2 Apr. 2026
  • This happens when water in front of the tire builds up faster than the vehicle's weight can push water out of the way.
    KANSAS CITY STAR WEATHER BOT, Kansas City Star, 2 Apr. 2026
Adjective
  • With a spot in the Final Four on the line, excitement is building among fans who believe their team can make a deep run.
    Kenny Choi, CBS News, 27 Mar. 2026
  • But those subsidies have masked a deeper affordability crisis — one in which insurers themselves play a central role.
    Barbara Hoare, Chicago Tribune, 26 Mar. 2026
Adverb
  • From this spot on the waterfront, you'll be perfectly positioned for a long walk westward from Old Montreal along the Lachine Canal to the Atwater Market in St-Henri.
    Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 28 Mar. 2026
  • In another picture, the four federal employees sitting next to Noem are out of focus, while Noem is perfectly in focus, sporting an ICE ball cap with the agency’s new logo.
    Anna Giaritelli, The Washington Examiner, 27 Mar. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Wide.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/wide. Accessed 3 Apr. 2026.

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