across the board
Meaning
Applying to everyone or everything in a group; covering all areas without exception.
Origin
From the idea of something extending over the whole surface of a board; later reinforced by horse-racing betting, where a bet “across the board” covers win/place/show.
Notes
Neutral, slightly formal. Implies uniform application with few/no exceptions; common in business/policy contexts (raises, cuts, rules, performance).
Examples
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The company announced a 5% pay raise across the board.
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We’re cutting expenses across the board to stay within budget.
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Customer satisfaction improved across the board after the update.
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The new policy applies across the board, with no exceptions.
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Test scores rose across the board following the tutoring program.
Grammar & Usage Notes
Usually used as an adverbial phrase: “across the board” after verbs (raise/cut/apply/improve) or as a modifier with “across-the-board” before a noun (across-the-board cuts).
Synonyms
- across the whole board
- across the entire board
- board-wide
- overall
- uniformly
Antonyms
- selectively
- in part
- piecemeal
- case by case