Wide vs. Narrow: What's the Difference?
Edited by Aimie Carlson || By Janet White || Updated on October 6, 2023
Wide refers to a greater extent from side to side; narrow indicates a lesser width or limited scope.
Key Differences
Wide and narrow are opposites in terms of spatial dimensions.
Wide suggests an expansive measurement across, perhaps like a wide river that stretches broadly between its banks. On the other hand, narrow implies a limited span, as one might observe in a narrow alley between buildings. When considering the application of these terms outside physical dimensions, wide can denote a vast array, like a wide range of topics.
In contrast, narrow might indicate specificity or a confined scope, as in a narrow focus on a particular subject. Linguistically, both words have found their way into idiomatic expressions. While "casting a wide net" denotes inclusivity, "a narrow escape" speaks of just barely avoiding danger.
Wide often carries implications of abundance and expansiveness, while narrow typically communicates limitation or precision.
Comparison Chart
Spatial Dimension
Expansive across
Limited in width
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Scope
Broad, inclusive
Specific, confined
Idiomatic Usage
"Casting a wide net"
"A narrow escape"
Implication
Abundance, expansiveness
Limitation, precision
Application
Used to denote vastness
Used to denote restrictiveness
Wide and Narrow Definitions
Wide
Encompassing a broad range or variety.
She has a wide range of interests.
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Narrow
Limited in extent or width.
The bridge is too narrow for large trucks.
Wide
Far from a target or mark.
The shot went wide of the goal.
Narrow
Not broad or open-minded.
His narrow views are problematic.
Wide
Having a specified extent from side to side
A ribbon two inches wide.
Narrow
Meticulous or precise.
She has a narrow attention to detail.
Wide
Extending over a great distance from side to side; broad
A wide road.
A wide necktie.
Narrow
Of small or limited width, especially in comparison with length.
Wide
Having great extent or range; including much or many
A wide selection.
Granting wide powers.
Wide variations.
Narrow
Limited in area or scope; cramped.
Wide
Fully open or extended
Look with wide eyes.
Narrow
Lacking flexibility; rigid
Narrow opinions.
Wide
To the side of or at a distance from a given boundary, limit, or goal
A shot that was wide of the target.
Narrow
Barely sufficient; close
A narrow margin of victory.
Wide
(Baseball) Outside.
Narrow
Painstakingly thorough or attentive; meticulous
Narrow scrutiny.
Wide
(Sports) Being toward or near one of the side boundaries of a playing area, such as a sideline on a football field.
Narrow
(Linguistics) Tense.
Wide
Deviating or straying from something expected or specified
A remark that was wide of the truth.
Narrow
To reduce in width or extent; make narrower.
Wide
(Linguistics) Lax.
Narrow
To limit or restrict
Narrowed the possibilities down to three.
Wide
Over a great distance; extensively
Traveled far and wide.
Narrow
To become narrower; contract.
Wide
To the full extent; completely.
Narrow
A part of little width, as a pass through mountains.
Wide
To the side of or at a distance from a given boundary, limit, or goal.
Narrow
A body of water with little width that connects two larger bodies of water.
Wide
(Sports) Toward or near one of the sides of a playing area
Ran wide to catch a pass.
Narrow
A part of a river or an ocean current that is not wide.
Wide
A ball bowled outside of the batsman's reach, counting as a run for the batting team in cricket.
Narrow
Having a small width; not wide; having opposite edges or sides that are close, especially by comparison to length or depth.
A narrow hallway
Wide
Having a large physical extent from side to side.
We walked down a wide corridor.
Narrow
Of little extent; very limited; circumscribed.
Wide
Large in scope.
The inquiry had a wide remit.
Narrow
(figuratively) Restrictive; without flexibility or latitude.
A narrow interpretation
Wide
(sports) Operating at the side of the playing area.
That team needs a decent wide player.
Narrow
Contracted; of limited scope; bigoted
A narrow mind
Narrow views
Wide
On one side or the other of the mark; too far sideways from the mark, the wicket, the batsman, etc.
Narrow
Having a small margin or degree.
A narrow escape
The Republicans won by a narrow majority.
Wide
Made, as a vowel, with a less tense, and more open and relaxed, condition of the organs in the mouth.
Narrow
(dated) Limited as to means; straitened
Narrow circumstances
Wide
Vast, great in extent, extensive.
The wide, lifeless expanse.
Narrow
Parsimonious; niggardly; covetous; selfish.
Wide
(obsolete) Located some distance away; distant, far.
Narrow
Scrutinizing in detail; close; accurate; exact.
Wide
(obsolete) Far from truth, propriety, necessity, etc.
Narrow
(phonetics) Formed (as a vowel) by a close position of some part of the tongue in relation to the palate; or (according to Bell) by a tense condition of the pharynx; distinguished from wide.
Wide
(computing) Of or supporting a greater range of text characters than can fit into the traditional 8-bit representation.
A wide character; a wide stream
Narrow
A narrow passage, especially a contracted part of a stream, lake, or sea; a strait connecting two bodies of water.
The narrows of New York harbor
Wide
Antagonistic, provocative.
Narrow
(transitive) To reduce in width or extent; to contract.
We need to narrow the search.
Wide
Extensively
He travelled far and wide.
Narrow
(intransitive) To get narrower.
The road narrows.
Wide
Completely
He was wide awake.
Narrow
(of a person or eyes) To partially lower one's eyelids in a way usually taken to suggest a defensive, aggressive or penetrating look.
He stepped in front of me, narrowing his eyes to slits.
She wagged her finger in his face, and her eyes narrowed.
Wide
Away from or to one side of a given goal
The arrow fell wide of the mark.
A few shots were fired but they all went wide.
Narrow
(knitting) To contract the size of, as a stocking, by taking two stitches into one.
Wide
So as to leave or have a great space between the sides; so as to form a large opening.
Narrow
To convert to a data type that cannot hold as many distinct values.
To narrow an
int variable to a short variableWide
(cricket) A ball that passes so far from the batsman that the umpire deems it unplayable; the arm signal used by an umpire to signal a wide; the extra run added to the batting side's score
Narrow
Of little breadth; not wide or broad; having little distance from side to side; as, a narrow board; a narrow street; a narrow hem.
Hath passed in safety through the narrow seas.
Wide
Having considerable distance or extent between the sides; spacious across; much extended in a direction at right angles to that of length; not narrow; broad; as, wide cloth; a wide table; a wide highway; a wide bed; a wide hall or entry.
The chambers and the stables weren wyde.
Wide is the gate . . . that leadeth to destruction.
Narrow
Of little extent; very limited; circumscribed.
The Jews were but a small nation, and confined to a narrow compass in the world.
Wide
Having a great extent every way; extended; spacious; broad; vast; extensive; as, a wide plain; the wide ocean; a wide difference.
For sceptered cynics earth were far too wide a den.
When the wide bloom, on earth that lies,Seems of a brighter world than ours.
Narrow
Having but a little margin; having barely sufficient space, time, or number, etc.; close; near{5}; - with special reference to some peril or misfortune; as, a narrow shot; a narrow escape; a narrow miss; a narrow majority.
Wide
Of large scope; comprehensive; liberal; broad; as, wide views; a wide understanding.
Men of strongest head and widest culture.
Narrow
Limited as to means; straitened; pinching; as, narrow circumstances.
Wide
Of a certain measure between the sides; measuring in a direction at right angles to that of length; as, a table three feet wide.
Narrow
Contracted; of limited scope; illiberal; bigoted; as, a narrow mind; narrow views.
Wide
Remote; distant; far.
The contrary being so wide from the truth of Scripture and the attributes of God.
Narrow
Parsimonious; niggardly; covetous; selfish.
A very narrow and stinted charity.
Wide
Far from truth, from propriety, from necessity, or the like.
It is far wide that the people have such judgments.
How wide is all this long pretense !
Narrow
Scrutinizing in detail; close; accurate; exact.
But first with narrow search I must walk roundThis garden, and no corner leave unspied.
Wide
On one side or the other of the mark; too far side-wise from the mark, the wicket, the batsman, etc.
Surely he shoots wide on the bow hand.
I was but two bows wide.
Narrow
Formed (as a vowel) by a close position of some part of the tongue in relation to the palate; or (according to Bell) by a tense condition of the pharynx; - distinguished from wide; as ē (ēve) and Ō (fŌd), etc., from ĭ (ĭll) and Ŏ (fŎt), etc. See Guide to Pronunciation, 13.
Wide
Made, as a vowel, with a less tense, and more open and relaxed, condition of the mouth organs; - opposed to primary as used by Mr. Bell, and to narrow as used by Mr. Sweet. The effect, as explained by Mr. Bell, is due to the relaxation or tension of the pharynx; as explained by Mr. Sweet and others, it is due to the action of the tongue. The wide of ē (ēve) is ĭ (ĭll); of ā (āte) is ĕ (ĕnd), etc. See Guide to Pronunciation, 13-15.
Narrow
A narrow passage; esp., a contracted part of a stream, lake, or sea; a strait connecting two bodies of water; - usually in the plural; as, The Narrows of New York harbor.
Near the island lay on one side the jaws of a dangerousnarrow.
Wide
Having or showing a wide difference between the highest and lowest price, amount of supply, etc.; as, a wide opening; wide prices, where the prices bid and asked differ by several points.
Narrow
To lessen the breadth of; to contract; to draw into a smaller compass; to reduce the width or extent of.
Wide
To a distance; far; widely; to a great distance or extent; as, his fame was spread wide.
[I] went wyde in this world, wonders to hear.
Narrow
To contract the reach or sphere of; to make less liberal or more selfish; to limit; to confine; to restrict; as, to narrow one's views or knowledge; to narrow a question in discussion.
Our knowledge is much more narrowed if we confine ourselves to our own solitary reasonings.
Wide
So as to leave or have a great space between the sides; so as to form a large opening.
Narrow
To contract the size of, as a stocking, by taking two stitches into one.
Wide
So as to be or strike far from, or on one side of, an object or purpose; aside; astray.
Narrow
To become less broad; to contract; to become narrower; as, the sea narrows into a strait.
Wide
That which is wide; wide space; width; extent.
Narrow
Not to step out enough to the one hand or the other; as, a horse narrows.
Wide
That which goes wide, or to one side of the mark.
Narrow
To contract the size of a stocking or other knit article, by taking two stitches into one.
Wide
Having great (or a certain) extent from one side to the other;
Wide roads
A wide necktie
Wide margins
Three feet wide
A river two miles broad
Broad shoulders
A broad river
Narrow
A narrow strait connecting two bodies of water
Wide
Broad in scope or content;
Across-the-board pay increases
An all-embracing definition
Blanket sanctions against human-rights violators
An invention with broad applications
A panoptic study of Soviet nationality
Granted him wide powers
Narrow
Make or become more narrow or restricted;
The selection was narrowed
The road narrowed
Wide
(used of eyes) fully open or extended;
Listened in round-eyed wonder
Stared with wide eyes
Narrow
Define clearly;
I cannot narrow down the rules for this game
Wide
Very large in expanse or scope;
A broad lawn
The wide plains
A spacious view
Spacious skies
Narrow
Become more special;
We specialize in dried flowers
Wide
Great in degree;
Won by a wide margin
Narrow
Become tight or as if tight;
Her throat constricted
Wide
Great in range or scope;
An extended vocabulary
Surgeons with extended experience
Extensive examples of picture writing
Suffered extensive damage
A wide selection
Narrow
Not wide;
A narrow bridge
A narrow line across the page
Wide
Having ample fabric;
The current taste for wide trousers
A full skirt
Narrow
Limited in size or scope;
The narrow sense of a word
Wide
Not on target;
The kick was wide
The arrow was wide of the mark
A claim that was wide of the truth
Narrow
Lacking tolerance or flexibility or breadth of view;
A brilliant but narrow-minded judge
Narrow opinions
Wide
With or by a broad space;
Stand with legs wide apart
Ran wide around left end
Narrow
Very limited in degree;
Won by a narrow margin
A narrow escape
Wide
To the fullest extent possible;
Open your eyes wide
With the throttle wide open
Narrow
Characterized by painstaking care and detailed examination;
A minute inspection of the grounds
A narrow scrutiny
An exact and minute report
Wide
Far from the intended target;
The arrow went wide of the mark
A bullet went astray and killed a bystander
Narrow
Limited in scope or extent.
A narrow focus on the subject won't help.
Wide
To or over a great extent or range; far;
Wandered wide through many lands
He traveled widely
Narrow
Barely successful or adequate.
They had a narrow escape from the fire.
Wide
Extending over a large area from side to side.
The river is wide at this point.
Wide
Fully open or extended.
He opened his eyes wide in surprise.
Wide
Comprehensive or vast in extent.
The topic has wide implications for researchers.
FAQs
Can "wide" refer to non-physical concepts?
Yes, "wide" can denote a broad range, as in a "wide variety".
How do "wide" and "narrow" differ in spatial terms?
Wide suggests expansiveness across, while narrow implies limited width.
Is "narrow-minded" a positive term?
Typically, "narrow-minded" is used negatively, indicating lack of openness.
Does "narrow down" mean to reduce options?
Yes, "narrow down" means to reduce to a specific selection.
Can "wide" indicate surprise?
Yes, as in "eyes wide open" showing astonishment.
Does "wide" have synonyms related to broadness?
Yes, such as "broad", "expansive", and "vast".
What does "wide" generally indicate in terms of space?
Wide refers to a large extent from side to side.
What does "wide-ranging" suggest?
It indicates something that covers a broad scope or variety.
Is "narrow" always used negatively?
No, in contexts like "narrow focus", it can be neutral or positive.
How does "narrow" relate to scope or focus?
Narrow indicates a limited or specific scope or focus.
Can "wide" refer to knowledge?
Yes, as in "wide knowledge" meaning vast understanding.
Are there idiomatic uses for "wide"?
Yes, like "casting a wide net" meaning being inclusive.
What's an idiom involving "narrow"?
"A narrow escape" means just barely avoiding danger.
Can "wide" mean comprehensive?
Yes, like "a wide survey" covering various aspects.
Does "narrow down" imply precision?
Yes, it indicates refining choices to be more precise.
Can "wide" mean off-target?
Yes, like in sports where a shot "goes wide" of the target.
How is "narrow" used in fashion?
"Narrow" can refer to slim-fitting clothing or specific styles.
Can "narrow" refer to meticulousness?
Yes, as in having a "narrow attention to detail".
What are some synonyms for "narrow"?
"Limited", "restricted", and "constrained" are some synonyms.
Is "worldwide" derived from "wide"?
Yes, "worldwide" means extensive across the globe, using "wide" for breadth.
About Author
Written by
Janet WhiteJanet White has been an esteemed writer and blogger for Difference Wiki. Holding a Master's degree in Science and Medical Journalism from the prestigious Boston University, she has consistently demonstrated her expertise and passion for her field. When she's not immersed in her work, Janet relishes her time exercising, delving into a good book, and cherishing moments with friends and family.
Edited by
Aimie CarlsonAimie Carlson, holding a master's degree in English literature, is a fervent English language enthusiast. She lends her writing talents to Difference Wiki, a prominent website that specializes in comparisons, offering readers insightful analyses that both captivate and inform.
