paint with a broad brush

verb

To describe a class of objects or a kind of phenomenon in general terms, without specific details and without attention to individual variations.

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Meanings

verbpaint with a broad brush (third-person singular simple present paints with a broad brush, present participle painting with a broad brush, simple past and past participle painted with a broad brush)

present singular third person paints with a broad brush · participle present painting with a broad brush · participle past painted with a broad brush · past painted with a broad brush

  1. ambitransitiveidiomaticTo describe a class of objects or a kind of phenomenon in general terms, without specific details and without attention to individual variations.

    I'm just painting with a broad brush. You fellows fill in the details.

    1958, H. Boyle, J. House, “Folklore in the News: Businessmen's Bebop”, in Western Folklore, volume 17, number 1, page 63
    2 more examples

    To cover this range of issues is clearly to paint with a broad brush on a global canvas.

    1981, D. N., “Review of Global Signposts to the 21st Century by John A. Loraine”, in Population and Development Review, volume 7, number 2, page 363

    Painting slavery with a broad brush in literature, film and even political debate has kept us from knowing the real horror and heroism of the institution.

    1998 October 5, Ron Stodghill, “Daring To Go There”, in Time

Synonyms & antonyms

Also see
paint with a wide brush
Cite this entry
APA

paint with a broad brush. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 5, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/paint%20with%20a%20broad%20brush

MLA

“paint with a broad brush.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/paint%20with%20a%20broad%20brush. Accessed November 5, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “paint with a broad brush,” accessed November 5, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/paint%20with%20a%20broad%20brush.

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