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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

UBS analyst Tim Arcuri estimates that the total addressable market for server CPUs could reach about $170 billion in 2030, which “would translate to across-the-board upside” for Intel, AMD and Arm.

From MarketWatch ● May 6, 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

The administration’s intention is to replace the across-the-board charge with a series of country-specific duties through a separate process under article 301 of the Trade Act of 1974.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Feb. 25, 2026

And raising enough to replace the income tax would require across-the-board tariffs of about 80% on all imports, it added.

From Barron's ● Feb. 25, 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

This year, the pass rate for National 5, Higher and Advanced Higher exams in Scotland rose across the board.

From BBC ● Aug. 12, 2026

The Los Angeles City Council’s Arts, Parks and Libraries Committee voted Tuesday to hike zoo ticket prices by $2 across the board, an increase of 7% to 9% depending on the type of ticket purchased.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 11, 2026

More broadly, Lore said the focus on automation should allow Wonder to lower its prices further across the board, which he argues are already more competitive than most delivery offerings.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 7, 2026

Graduating early didn’t protect him from the harsh reality being faced by degree holders across the board: a job market that their higher education didn’t prepare them for.

From MarketWatch ● Aug. 4, 2026

“This rook’s a handsome fellow, isn’t he?” the housekeeper said as she moved the chess piece across the board.

From "The Unseen Guest" by Maryrose Wood

Related Words

• sweeping