wide berth

noun

Adequate distance from sea vessels or other objects to ensure safety and maneuverability.

“Steer to port and give the rocks a wide berth.”

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Meanings

nounwide berth (plural wide berths)

plural wide berths

  1. nauticalAdequate distance from sea vessels or other objects to ensure safety and maneuverability.

    Steer to port and give the rocks a wide berth.

  2. broadlyidiomaticA considerable or comfortable distance from a person or object, especially for safety or deliberate avoidance.

    Our cat always gives the vacuum cleaner a wide berth.

    3 more examples

    He's so obnoxious that everyone gives him a wide berth.

    One [sheep] was "bagged" but gave the rest of the train a wide berth and appeared only somewhat shaken.

    1949 November and December, K. Longbottom, “By Goods Train to Gweedore”, in Railway Magazine, page 356

    Only Samantha escaped with her dignity intact, because she gave the series a wide berth.

    2025 August 13, Jennifer Weiner, “In ‘And Just Like That …’ a Craven Era Took Its Revenge on Youth and Hope and Fun”, in The New York Times, New York, N.Y.: The New York Times Company, →ISSN, →OCLC

Translations

Finnish riittävä etäisyys (used with verb pitää), kaukana (to give a wide berth - pysyä kaukana)
  • riittävä etäisyys (used with verb pitää)nautical: adequate distance from other objects
  • kaukana (to give a wide berth - pysyä kaukana)considerable or comfortable distance from a person or object
German gehöriger Abstand, sichere Entfernung
  • gehöriger Abstandconsiderable or comfortable distance from a person or object
  • sichere Entfernungconsiderable or comfortable distance from a person or object
  • sichere Distanzconsiderable or comfortable distance from a person or object
  • großer Bogenconsiderable or comfortable distance from a person or object
Polish bezpieczna odległość, szeroki łuk
  • bezpieczna odległośćnautical: adequate distance from other objects
  • szeroki łukconsiderable or comfortable distance from a person or object
Cite this entry
APA

wide berth. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 4, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/wide%20berth

MLA

“wide berth.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/wide%20berth. Accessed November 4, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “wide berth,” accessed November 4, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/wide%20berth.

Source: wide berth on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.