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wide

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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

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
Other litigation encompasses a wide range of issues, including biometric privacy violations, pig-butchering scams, and account lockouts. Jennifer Jolly, USA Today, 18 June 2025 Designers are drawn to the Carson fabric by Cone Denim for its wide range of uses. Angela Velasquez, Sourcing Journal, 18 June 2025
Adverb
The case broke wide open when Roger and Monica's son Nathan, then 24, was called to testify before a grand jury. Doc Louallen, ABC News, 6 June 2025 The Phoenician Scheme’s studio, Focus Features, generally has a month window between the time its films open wide in theaters and arrive on PVOD. Tim Lammers, Forbes.com, 6 June 2025 See All Example Sentences for wide
Recent Examples of Synonyms for wide
Adjective
  • In the broadest sense, what needs to be figured out to make those two properties work — Batman in this universe?
    Brian Hiatt, Rolling Stone, 16 June 2025
  • The move fit into the pope's broader understanding of martyr as a social justice concept, allowing those deemed to have been killed for doing God's work and following the gospel to be considered for sainthood.
    Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 16 June 2025
Adjective
  • This integration enables marketing, sales, and service teams to gain actionable insights without requiring extensive data expertise.
    Gene Marks, Forbes.com, 15 June 2025
  • And while the shipping attacks were largely stamped out after extensive U.S. strikes earlier this year and an eventual ceasefire deal, the group continues to receive support from the Iranian regime.
    Zach LaChance, The Washington Examiner, 15 June 2025
Adverb
  • It’s been quite a year for Kathy Bates and Billy Bob Thornton, who both lead hit shows.
    Emily Longeretta, Variety, 15 June 2025
  • While that is quite close to the FOMC’s target, it was dragged down by a decline in energy prices.
    Simon Moore, Forbes.com, 15 June 2025
Adjective
  • Simply lather a thick coating of petroleum jelly onto the scratch.
    Kaitlyn Yarborough, Southern Living, 21 June 2025
  • As thick clouds billowed out of Eyjafjallajökull, the skies over the North Atlantic — one of the world’s busiest aviation routes — fell silent, with air traffic dropping to levels that wouldn’t be seen again until the Covid pandemic a decade later.
    Brad Lendon, CNN Money, 21 June 2025
Adjective
  • While the challenges of transformation may feel daunting, supporting your people through change doesn’t always require sweeping initiatives or expensive programs.
    Rahul Karan Sharma, Forbes.com, 18 June 2025
  • Some of those projects were also sweeping, to the point of quixotic -- even for the deepest-pocketed entrepreneur.
    Sasha Pezenik, ABC News, 18 June 2025
Adverb
  • In fact, over the past year the average price of electricity in the U.S. has grown 87% faster than the overall Consumer Price Index.
    Patrick Gleason, Forbes.com, 16 June 2025
  • Finding a donor fast can mean the difference between life and death.
    Charles Trepany, USA Today, 16 June 2025
Adjective
  • The result is Venezuelans across the country navigating deep anxiety over not only their own status, but over bubbling hostilities in the national debate over immigration.
    Brendan Quinn, New York Times, 15 June 2025
  • The shootings happened at a time when political leaders nationwide have been attacked, harassed and intimidated amid deep political divisions.
    Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 15 June 2025
Adverb
  • This adaptation aligns perfectly with our mission to bring underrepresented perspectives to the screen through bold, engaging, and entertaining stories.
    Melanie Goodfellow, Deadline, 23 June 2025
  • Not a superstar but, like Happ in LF, perfectly sufficient and acceptable at first.
    Sahadev Sharma, New York Times, 22 June 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Wide.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/wide. Accessed 28 Jun. 2025.

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