# paint with a broad brush

idiom

Source: https://englishreference.com/idiom/paint-with-a-broad-brush
Updated: 2026-08-10

## Meaning

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

## Examples

- Do not paint with a broad brush when you talk about other people.
- It is unfair to paint with a broad brush and say that all teenagers are lazy.
- The critic was accused of painting with a broad brush, ignoring the subtle nuances that made each individual performance in the play unique.

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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.