1
: placed to win if a competitor wins, places, or shows
an across-the-board racing bet
2
: embracing or affecting all classes or categories : blanket
an across-the-board price increase

Examples of across-the-board in a Sentence

an across-the-board reduction in the state's budget because of declining revenues
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Given that the alternative is an across-the-board tax increase, a severe hit to the economy, and a bad midterm election cycle for Republicans in 2026, the GOP congressional majorities will likely work something out. W. James Antle Iii, The Washington Examiner, 3 June 2025 Mitchell supports an across-the-board minimum wage increase, rather than efforts to raise industry-specific wages. Suhauna Hussain, Los Angeles Times, 3 June 2025 When CFOs stop their organizations from vacillating between across-the-board cuts to focus on increasing profitability on the one hand and investment infusions designed to stimulate growth on the other hand, cost optimization stands a better chance of becoming a standard operating procedure. Jim Deloach, Forbes.com, 2 June 2025 Crespo’s proposed idea sounds eminently sensible: Freeze state government hiring and impose an across-the-board reduction in discretionary spending. Chicago Tribune, 1 June 2025 See All Example Sentences for across-the-board

Word History

First Known Use

1945, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of across-the-board was in 1945

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Across-the-board.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/across-the-board. Accessed 9 Jun. 2025.

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