breadth of understanding

USAGE SUMMARY

"breadth of understanding" is a correct and usable phrase in written English.
You can use this phrase to describe the extent of someone's knowledge. For example, "She demonstrated a remarkable breadth of understanding."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Academia

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

28 human-written examples

He could talk about Babylon or the Benin bronzes with the same exhilarating breadth of understanding.

The Guardian - Opinion

The resulting portraits are remarkable for their empathic leaps, their breadth of understanding.

The New York Times - Arts

The result for Britain is a population that struggles with breadth of understanding.

Independent

A breadth of understanding across disciplines will be much more valuable than a narrow competence in one activity.

The Guardian

But Friel's diverse output, spanning a 50-year period, was bound together by his passion for language, his belief in the ritualistic nature of theatre and his breadth of understanding.

The Guardian

Creative methodology provides new perspectives and a greater breadth of understanding.

BMJ Open

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

32 human-written examples

They could ensure that the questions asked will provide information that achieves the appropriate breadth and depth of understanding.

Energy, Sustainability and Society

The interlocker role privileges a breadth of understandings across disciplines, rather than a depth in one.

BMC Health Services Research

It has been found that integrating 4 to 5 sessions in general practice into a hospital psychiatric attachment demonstrated benefits of: increasing breadth of experience, understanding the patients' experience, learning about mental illness from a GP's perspective, 'normalisation' of mental illness and increased empathy [ 8].

BMC Medical Education

The task of understanding the breadth of skills and the different roles available is an even bigger challenge than it should be – particularly when you consider the availability of resources such as BAFTA Guru, which provides an insight into the experiences of some of the most successful names in film, television and games.

The Guardian

The posters and other product generated by Globe required various processes, tools, and equipment to create and are a critical part of understanding the breadth of Globe's work, as this material includes the precursor materials to Globe's earliest output.

Johns Hopkins University

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When describing someone's expertise, use "breadth of understanding" to highlight their wide range of knowledge across multiple areas.

Common error

Avoid using "breadth of understanding" when you actually mean "depth of understanding". Breadth refers to the range of knowledge, while depth refers to the level of detail within a specific area.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "breadth of understanding" functions as a noun phrase, often used as the object of a verb or preposition. It describes the scope and range of someone's comprehension or knowledge.

Expression frequency: Uncommon

Frequent in

News & Media

41%

Science

32%

Academia

27%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

0%

Formal & Business

0%

Wiki

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "breadth of understanding" is a grammatically correct and usable phrase, as validated by Ludwig AI. It is used to describe the extent and range of someone's knowledge or comprehension. While not extremely common, it appears frequently in news, scientific, and academic contexts. When using this phrase, ensure that you are referring to the range of knowledge, not the depth within a specific area. Alternatives like "wide-ranging knowledge" or "comprehensive insight" may also be suitable depending on the context.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

wide-ranging knowledge

Emphasizes the extent of knowledge across different areas, replacing 'breadth' with a more direct term.

comprehensive insight

Focuses on the depth and completeness of understanding, rather than just the scope.

extensive grasp

Highlights a firm and broad comprehension, changing 'understanding' to a more active verb form.

thorough comprehension

Stresses the completeness of understanding, similar to 'comprehensive insight'.

broad perspective

Indicates a wide viewpoint, differing slightly by focusing on viewpoint rather than specific knowledge.

holistic view

Implies seeing the whole picture, changing the focus from individual understanding to an integrated view.

global awareness

Highlights awareness on a worldwide scale, shifting the context to a broader, global perspective.

panoramic vision

Uses a more figurative expression, suggesting a wide and all-encompassing view.

general proficiency

Focuses on skill level across multiple areas, altering the focus from understanding to capability.

versatile intellect

Highlights adaptability and intelligence, rather than just understanding or knowledge.

FAQs

How can I use "breadth of understanding" in a sentence?

You can use "breadth of understanding" to describe someone who has a wide range of knowledge on a particular subject. For example, "Her confirmation hearing demonstrated her "breadth of understanding" of the policy issues".

What's the difference between "breadth of understanding" and "depth of understanding"?

"Breadth of understanding" refers to having knowledge across many different areas, while "depth of understanding" means having a thorough and detailed knowledge of a specific area.

What can I say instead of "breadth of understanding"?

You can use alternatives like "wide-ranging knowledge", "comprehensive insight", or "extensive grasp" depending on the context.

Is "breadth of knowledge" similar to "breadth of understanding"?

Yes, "breadth of knowledge" is very similar to "breadth of understanding". Both phrases refer to having a wide range of knowledge, but "breadth of understanding" emphasizes the comprehension of that knowledge.