broad-brush

adjective

General and sweeping in scope but lacking detail.

“He takes a broad-brush approach to the study of history.”

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Meanings

adjectivebroad-brush (not comparable)
  1. idiomaticinformalnot comparableGeneral and sweeping in scope but lacking detail.

    He takes a broad-brush approach to the study of history.

    1 more example

    In setting out a broad-brush approach, the Arriva-owned operator doesn't make any specific requirements, but it says the replacement trains "must achieve a meaningful reduction in the exhaust emissions and exterior noise levels compared to Chiltern's existing DMUs".

    2023 August 23, Mel Holley, “Network News: ... while Chiltern Railways targets low-emissions stock”, in RAil, number 990, page 7
verbbroad-brush (third-person singular simple present broad-brushes, present participle broad-brushing, simple past and past participle broad-brushed)

present singular third person broad-brushes · participle present broad-brushing · participle past broad-brushed · past broad-brushed

  1. idiomaticinformaltransitiveTo generalize or describe (something) in very broad, sweeping terms.
Cite this entry
APA

broad-brush. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 3, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/broad-brush

MLA

“broad-brush.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/broad-brush. Accessed November 3, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “broad-brush,” accessed November 3, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/broad-brush.

Source: broad-brush on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.