WIDE Synonyms: 150 Similar and Opposite Words

Q: 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

Q: 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

Q: 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

wide 1 of 2

adjective

ˈwīd

Definition of wide

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

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

Shrestha also hinted at the wider impact of Wednesday’s disaster. — Sophie Tanno, CNN Money, 28 Aug. 2026 From the training field to the interview room at Sporting Kansas City’s Compass Minerals National Performance Center, the wide smile was nearly impossible to miss. — Daniel Sperry, Kansas City Star, 28 Aug. 2026

Adverb

An enormous chunk of glacier around 2,000 feet wide sheared off Langtang Lirung mountain in northern Nepal, accompanied by landslide, according to satellite analysis. — Laura Paddison, CNN Money, 28 Aug. 2026 Spanning 42 feet long and more than 14 feet wide, the observatory is designed to explore the outer solar system and beyond – prying into previously unobservable areas of the universe to study dark energy and search for exoplanets. — Eric Lagatta, USA Today, 28 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for wide

Recent Examples of Synonyms for wide

Adjective

Blakespear said the definition was broad enough to encompass a wide range of heavy industrial uses, including chemical, plastics and pesticide manufacturing and strip mining.

— Naomi Taxay, Sacbee.com, 29 Aug. 2026
The e-commerce giant is preparing to launch its Prime Air service in Tracy as part of a broader expansion effort that will bring delivery drones to 500 cities and towns by the end of the year.

— Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 29 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

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

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

Cite this Entry

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“Wide.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/wide. Accessed 1 Sep. 2026.

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adverb

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Synonyms of wide

adjective

adverb

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Phrases Containing wide

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More from Merriam-Webster on wide

More from Merriam-Webster

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