Meaning of paint with a broad brush | Babel Free

Definitions

To describe a class of objects or a kind of phenomenon in general terms, without specific details and without attention to individual variations.

ambitransitive, idiomatic

Equivalents

Examples

“I'm just painting with a broad brush. You fellows fill in the details.”

“To cover this range of issues is clearly to paint with a broad brush on a global canvas.”

“Painting slavery with a broad brush in literature, film and even political debate has kept us from knowing the real horror and heroism of the institution.”

CEFR level