wide 1 of 2

adjective

ˈwīd 
Definition of wide
1
as in broad
having a greater than usual measure across the river is so wide that building a bridge across it would be impractical

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in extensive
having considerable extent a wide and detailed knowledge of the issue

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

wide

2 of 2

adverb

as in quite
to a full extent or degree the door was wide open

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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
Forecasters say that a complex of thunderstorms may develop across southeast Nebraska this afternoon, then dive southeast into far northeast Kansas and northwest Missouri in the evening, bringing a wide swath of damaging winds. — Kansas City Star, 21 Aug. 2026 The company still needs to document the exact production timeline, but the wider difference in development speed is well established. — Ian Shepherd, Forbes.com, 21 Aug. 2026
Adverb
Material falling from the plume has formed a sulfur-rich red ring about 870 miles (1,400 km) wide. — Atharva Gosavi, Interesting Engineering, 22 Aug. 2026 In the opposite direction, open the elbows wide, arching the back and lifting the chin to the sky. — Angelica Stabile, FOXNews.com, 21 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for wide
Recent Examples of Synonyms for wide
  1. broad
  2. extensive
  3. quite
  4. thick
  5. sweeping
  6. fast
  7. deep
  8. perfectly
Adjective
  • Netanyahu is not on record as making that remark, but the slogan reflects a broader narrative promoted by Iranian hardliners, portraying women who do not wear the hijab as, at the very least, disloyal to their country.
    — Tim Lister, CNN Money, 23 Aug. 2026
  • Gonzalez Rogers is overseeing the broader multidistrict litigation consolidating nearly 3,000 pending lawsuits against Meta, TikTok, Snap and YouTube over alleged harms to children and teens.
    — Jeffrey Kopp, CNBC, 22 Aug. 2026
Definition of broad
Adjective
  • Police said the home was immediately secured as a crime scene and investigators began the extensive work of documenting the scene, collecting evidence, conducting interviews and pursuing leads.
    — Stepheny Price, FOXNews.com, 25 Aug. 2026
  • Customers can upload their own photos, or choose artworks from an extensive online gallery before selecting all of the details, including size, material, matting, and glazing.
    — Katie Schultz, Architectural Digest, 25 Aug. 2026
Definition of extensive
Adverb
  • It's been quite a disappointing year for home shoppers who waited since 2023 for rates to cool off.
    — Kelsey Neubauer, CNBC, 28 Aug. 2026
  • However, the approach is marred by low throughput, and the process is also quite complex to execute.
    — Ameya Paleja, Interesting Engineering, 27 Aug. 2026
Definition of quite
Adjective
  • Even during the rut, Infalt shoots most of his mature bucks in the thick stuff near where deer sleep.
    — Josh Honeycutt, Outdoor Life, 27 Aug. 2026
  • The evidence suggests that back then a thicker, ancient atmosphere sheltered flowing streams and sparkling lakes.
    — Ashwin R. Vasavada, The Conversation, 27 Aug. 2026
Definition of thick
Adjective
  • Struggle for self-sufficiency The devastating outbreak reshaped China’s blood products industry, prompting sweeping regulations throughout the entire chain from plasma collection to clinical use.
    — CNN Staff, CNN Money, 23 Aug. 2026
  • Trump first threatened to impose the sweeping 50% tariffs on a range of Canadian goods on July 20, 2026.
    — Molly Parks, The Washington Examiner, 22 Aug. 2026
Definition of sweeping
Adverb
  • The program is built around a vision of cinema and technology developing side by side, with a scope that runs from brand-film partnerships to the fast-growing microdrama business.
    — Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 26 Aug. 2026
  • Parents these days have a lot on their plate, not least an increasingly digitized, discerning set of kids fast approaching term time.
    — Joe Bobowicz, Vogue, 25 Aug. 2026
Definition of fast
Adjective
  • At the start of the year, Iceland Foreign Minister Thorgerdur Gunnarsdottir said that deeper dialogue and collaboration with the EU would be a key factor in shoring up the country's interests.
    — Sam Meredith, CNBC, 28 Aug. 2026
  • Thankfully, his reappearance in the show actually has a deeper purpose.
    — Ben Rosenstock, Vulture, 28 Aug. 2026
Definition of deep
Adverb
  • Before Gould arrived, Gates’s team spent the day installing — making sure every bedspread, headboard, desk arrangement, lamp and, of course, the umbrella were perfectly in place.
    — Luke Chinman, PEOPLE, 26 Aug. 2026
  • Mia Wasikowska perfectly embodies the role of Agata, a writer returning to her home continent, seeking to understand and reconnect with the wounds of the recent past, and with the ways in which unresolved conflicts continue to echo in the present.
    — Leo Barraclough, Variety, 26 Aug. 2026
Definition of perfectly

Phrases Containing wide

Browse Nearby Words

widdershins
wide
wide-awake
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Cite this Entry

“Wide.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/wide. Accessed 29 Aug. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on wide

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about wide

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