# broad shoulders

idiom

Source: https://englishreference.com/idiom/broad-shoulders
Updated: 2026-08-10

## Meaning

the ability to take criticism, or accept responsibility.

## Examples

- She has broad shoulders and never takes complaints personally.
- As a manager, you need broad shoulders because people will blame you when things go wrong.
- The mayor, whose broad shoulders had carried the weight of the scandal without complaint, finally addressed the crowd to accept full responsibility.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.