Jump To:

• across-the-board
  across-the-board

  adjective

  applying to all employees, members, groups, or categories; general.
• across the board
  across the board

  Applying to all the individuals in a group, as in They promised us an across-the-board tax cut, that is, one applying to all taxpayers, regardless of income. This expression comes from horse racing, where it refers to a bet that covers all possible ways of winning money on a race: win (first), place (second), or show (third). The board here is the notice-board on which the races and betting odds are listed. Its figurative use dates from the mid-1900s.

across-the-board

American  

[uh-kraws-thuh-bawrd, -bohrd, uh-kros-] / əˈkrɔs ðəˈbɔrd, -ˈboʊrd, əˈkrɒs- /

adjective

1. applying to all employees, members, groups, or categories; general.

   The across-the-board pay increase means a raise for all employees.

2. (of a bet) covering all possibilities of winning on a given result, especially by placing a combination bet on one horse in a race for win, place, and show.

---

across-the-board British  

adjective

1. (of salary increases, taxation cuts, etc) affecting all levels or classes equally

2. horse racing the US term for each way

---

across the board Idioms  

1. Applying to all the individuals in a group, as in They promised us an across-the-board tax cut, that is, one applying to all taxpayers, regardless of income. This expression comes from horse racing, where it refers to a bet that covers all possible ways of winning money on a race: win (first), place (second), or show (third). The board here is the notice-board on which the races and betting odds are listed. Its figurative use dates from the mid-1900s.

---

Etymology

Origin of across-the-board

First recorded in 1940–45

Example Sentences

Across the board, the staff is genial and preternaturally accommodating.

From Slate • Jun. 2, 2026

Across the board, however, every type of exercise examined performed as well as, or better than, medication and talking therapies.

From Science Daily • Feb. 16, 2026

Across the board, UC campuses largely maintained — with some small gains or dips — enrollment demographics by gender, race and residency status, including international students.

From Los Angeles Times • Jan. 8, 2026

Across the board, the user experience needs more polish and accessibility, said Will Greenwald, writer for consumer electronics outlet PCMag.

From Barron's • Dec. 3, 2025

Across the board Mrs. Gilmore said "Oh!" but in the next breath all but the judge's sister laughed, the bishop, as Hugh and he began to rise, laughing most.

From Gideon's Band A Tale of the Mississippi by Cable, George Washington

Related Words

• sweeping