wide

/waɪd/

/waɪd/

Other forms: wider; widest; wides

The word wide describes something that stretches across a great distance, like a smile that beams from ear to ear, or the open arms of a friend about to give you a big hug.

Wide is an adjective that describes both physical spaces and ideas. A hallway with plenty of room for everyone to walk through can be called wide. If a dinner party has lots of different foods to pick from, you could say there’s a wide selection of dishes. A situation with many possible outcomes might have a wide range of results. Whether it's about space or variety, the word wide is all about having plenty of room.

Definitions of wide

1. adjective

   having great (or a certain) extent from one side to the other
   “wide roads”

   “a wide necktie”

   “wide margins”

   “three feet wide”

   synonyms: broad

   comprehensive, overarching

   including all or everything

   thick

   not thin; of a specific thickness or of relatively great extent from one surface to the opposite usually in the smallest of the three solid dimensions

   beamy

   broad in the beam

   bird's-eye, panoramic

   as from an altitude or distance

   broad-brimmed

   (of hats) having a broad brim

   deep

   extending relatively far inward

   fanlike

   resembling a fan

   sweeping

   taking in or moving over (or as if over) a wide area; often used in combination

   wide-screen

   (motion pictures) projected on a screen with much greater width than height

   antonyms:

   narrow

   not wide

   blinkered, narrow, narrow-minded

   lacking tolerance or flexibility or breadth of view

   limited

   small in range or scope

   thin

   of relatively small extent from one surface to the opposite or in cross section

   constricting, constrictive, narrowing

   (of circumstances) tending to constrict freedom

   narrowed

   reduced in size as by squeezing together

   narrow-mouthed

   having a narrow mouth

   slender, thin

   very narrow

   strait

   narrow

   straplike

   long and narrow like a strap

   narrowing, tapered, tapering

   becoming gradually narrower
2. adjective

   very large in expanse or scope
   “the wide plains”

   synonyms: broad, spacious

   big, large

   above average in size or number or quantity or magnitude or extent
3. adjective

   broad in scope or content
   “granted him wide powers”

   synonyms: across-the-board, all-embracing, all-encompassing, all-inclusive, blanket, broad, encompassing, extensive, panoptic, sweeping

   comprehensive, overarching

   including all or everything
4. adjective

   great in degree
   “won by a wide margin”

   synonyms:

   comfortable

   more than adequate

   antonyms:

   narrow

   very limited in degree

   bare, marginal

   just barely adequate or within a lower limit
5. adverb

   with or by a broad space
   “stand with legs wide apart”

   “ran wide around left end”
6. adverb

   to the fullest extent possible
   “open your eyes wide”

   “with the throttle wide open”
7. adverb

   to or over a great extent or range; far
   “wandered wide through many lands”

   synonyms: widely
8. adjective

   (used of eyes) fully open or extended
   “stared with wide eyes”

   synonyms: wide-eyed

   open, opened

   used of mouth or eyes
9. adjective

   not on target
   “the kick was wide”

   “the arrow was wide of the mark”

   “a claim that was wide of the truth”

   synonyms: wide of the mark

   inaccurate

   not exact
10. adverb

    far from the intended target
    “the arrow went wide of the mark”

    synonyms: astray
11. adjective

    having ample fabric
    “the current taste for wide trousers”

    synonyms: full, wide-cut

    ample

    more than enough in size or scope or capacity