across the board — affecting everyone or everything in a particular group, organization, or area without exception
Part of speech: ADVERB
Definition: affecting everyone or everything in a particular group, organization, or area without exception
Pronunciation (IPA): /əˈkrɔːs ðə bɔːrd/
Example Sentences
- The pizza restaurant decided to raise prices across the board, even for their famous $1 slice.
- The teacher was so frustrated that she gave everyone an F across the board, including the class pet hamster.
- The government implemented tax reforms across the board to stimulate economic growth.
across the board
ADVERB[/əˈkrɔːs ðə bɔːrd/]
affecting everyone or everything in a particular group, organization, or area without exception

The CEO announced a 10% raise across the board, and every employee cheered.
Got the picture? Now let's practice.
🎤Pronunciation
🌳Etymology
Origin
This phrase originated in horse racing, where it referred to placing equal amounts of money on all three types of bets: win, place, and show. The expression later expanded metaphorically to mean 'throughout all areas or categories' in general usage.
Breakdown
across (horizontally, spanning) + the board (the betting board at a racetrack, later generalized to mean 'all categories or divisions'). The 'board' originally referred to the physical board displaying betting odds and options at racetracks.
🎵Rhyme
🔗Collocations
📝Examples
“The pizza restaurant decided to raise prices across the board, even for their famous $1 slice.”
“The teacher was so frustrated that she gave everyone an F across the board, including the class pet hamster.”
“The government implemented tax reforms across the board to stimulate economic growth.”
“Our team's performance improved across the board after hiring the new coach.”
📚Related Words
Synonyms
Antonyms
Related
Want to master 19,000+ words?
Sign up free for flashcards & quizzes.