wide - Master This Word
Master this word with our 5-step learning method – Learn English in English
wide Word Meanings
- having a great extent from side to side
- broad in scope or content
- generous or liberal in interpretation
wide Example Sentences
Example sentences are the start of understanding. Don't rush to memorize. First feel how the word works in a sentence.
wide Phonetic & Pronunciation
UK
/waɪd/
US
/waɪd/
wide Word Etymology
Root: wide (Old English 'wīd') - meaning 'broad.' Historical origin: Old English → Middle English → Modern English. Memory image: Imagine a wide river flowing freely, symbolizing openness and broadness.
Note 1: These definitions and etymologies are not standard dictionary definitions, but extended explanations provided to help with memorization and understanding of the actual application of words. Through this background information, we strive to make words more vivid and easier to understand, and help you remember their meanings in real life.
Note 2: LexiTalk designs the learning flow around the linguistics principle of “Comprehensible Input.” When learners encounter material that is slightly above their level but still understandable from context, the brain naturally absorbs the language. That’s why we keep every word inside authentic contexts, using examples and associations to help you understand it and use it flexibly.
Read the FAQ explanation of Comprehensible InputEnglish Brain Route
I grip the curtain and pull it wider, feeling the edge glide along the rod. Light pours in and the room seems to shift, space expanding from wall to wall. I slow my breathing and judge how far to open, a quiet decision to adjust until it feels right. This small stretch helps me sense wide as more than distance—it's a sense of breadth in a plan or a view.
Real Context
Wide describes something with great breadth or extent, from physical distance to scope of ideas. It can refer to the width of an object, a wide street, or a wide river, as well as to broad coverage, a wide range of options, or a wide audience. In everyday use, you might hear wide to describe space or openness, and it often collocates with nouns like road, smile, range, or audience. The adverb form is widely. Its Old English root wīd meant broad, and the sense has expanded in Modern English to cover both tangible width and figurative breadth. A memory image is a wide river flowing freely, symbolizing openness and breadth.
Usage Reminders
- Use wide for physical width and for breadth of scope.
- After wide, the noun typically follows (wide road, wide range).
- Do not use wide to describe time; use long or extensive instead.
- Wide often collocates with road, smile, range, or audience to show openness.
- The adverb form is widely, not "widely."
Common Misconceptions
- Wide is only about physical width; it can also describe breadth of ideas or coverage.
- Confusing wide with broad; broad is more general, wide is about width or extent.
- Using wide to describe time or duration is incorrect.
- Mistaking 'wide' for the noun 'width' or for the adverb 'widely'.
- Thinking 'wide' always means positive openness; sometimes it just means large in size.
Thinking Differences
In English, wide conveys both physical width and broad scope; learners must remember to pair it with the right nouns and to use widely for the adverb form. Confusions often involve mixing with width, broad, or using it to describe time.
Learning Tips
- Practice wide with common collocations like wide road and wide range.
- Compare wide with broad to feel subtle nuance differences.
- Remember the adverb widely for describing extent of acceptance or distribution.
- Use physical width contexts to anchor the meaning.
- Create memory images of wide rivers or open spaces to reinforce breadth.
- Check usage in authentic examples to avoid mixing with width or width-related nouns.
5-Step Learning Method - Learn English in English
Step 2: Usage
In which of the following sentences is 'wide' used correctly?
A.The road became narrower.
B.The cup was small and wide.
C.The bookshelf was tall and wide.
D.The river was wide and deep.
Step 3: Similar Words
Which word is similar to 'wide'?
A.Fast
B.Short
C.Broad
D.Bright
Step 4: Opposite Words
What is the opposite of 'wide'?
A.Tight
B.Narrow
C.Heavy
D.Smooth
Step 5: Mastery
In what real-life context would you use the word 'wide'?
A.Talking about a wide smile
B.Referring to a short distance
C.Describing a narrow hallway
D.Discussing a tall building
Related Listening
🌱 Lite (Beginner)
🔥 Advanced
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