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• 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.

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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

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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.

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Etymology

Origin of across-the-board

First recorded in 1940–45

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

across-the-board across the board

If Congress imposes an across-the-board reduction, the haircut applies to whatever benefit you’re already drawing.

From MarketWatch ● Jun. 10, 2026

The governor has largely resisted adopting new across-the-board tax increases or sharply curtailing his expensive policy proposals in order to align state spending with revenue.

From Los Angeles Times ● May 14, 2026

The leading cause of this slowdown, and population declines elsewhere, was an across-the-board drop in immigration to the U.S.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Mar. 26, 2026

The move to an across-the-board tariff of 10%, with carve-outs for some kinds of goods, had already reset the competitive landscape, putting shipments from all countries on even footing.

From BBC ● Mar. 4, 2026

I've never considered myself an across-the-board apologist for the French, but there's a lot to be said for an entire population that never, under any circumstances, talks during the picture.

From "Me Talk Pretty One Day" by David Sedaris

The networks unit was soft across the board, with revenue missing guidance as management commented on project delays into the third quarter.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 14, 2026

While tech now accounts for nearly 34% of S&P 500 profits — certainly an outsize share — companies across the board are seeing a pickup.

From MarketWatch ● Jul. 14, 2026

“So just adjusting for sure, but I think that’s across the board for everybody.”

From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 12, 2026

"We're seeing a worldwide epidemic, a decrease in fertility across the board," he tells the BBC.

From BBC ● Jul. 11, 2026

Smart-Think Management Principles are applicable across the board.

From "Black Swan Green" by David Mitchell

Related Words

• sweeping