definition too broad

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "definition too broad" is correct and usable in written English.
You can use this phrase when someone is asking a question and the definition given is too vague or overarching. For example: "What is the definition of art?" "The definition given is too broad; it's definition too broad."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Formal & Business

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

60 human-written examples

But this definition seems too broad to capture something distinctive about privacy.

The New York Times - Books

But if the definition is too broad, tax writers will have to extract billions of dollars more from corporations or wealthy taxpayers to pay for the extra middle-class relief.

The New York Times

Human rights groups have said that definition is too broad and effectively opens the way for the president or his senior officials to order the killing of anyone associated with al-Qaida.

The Guardian

Several studies have now established that this definition is too broad and includes distinct DC populations with different origins and functions.

Protein & Cell

A new policy limits carding to instances where there is a public safety purpose, although critics say the definition is too broad.

Vice

We excluded the condition 'Other neurological disorders' from the chart review process because its definition is too broad and vague.

BMC Health Services Research

While subtypes of IIPs differ in clinical, radiographic, and histopathologic presentation [ 1– 3], the type of IIP often cannot be determined and many of the subtypes of IIP have overlapping clinical and laboratory features indicating that the current definitions remain too broad.

BMC Genomics

Haftar is killing people, and he says he is targeting terrorists, but his definition is way too broad.

The New Yorker

Most laws also require that the patient should be terminally ill: yet this definition is almost too broad to be useful.

The Economist

The survey estimates that these black diamonds represent 12% of South Africa's black adults, and make 180 billion rand a year ($26.2 billion), or 28% of the country's (and more than half of all black South African) buying power.For some, such as Lawrence Schlemmer, a sociologist in Cape Town, this definition is far too broad to be meaningful.

The Economist

Either these are not going to be admitted as thinking at all, or Collins' definition is not too broad.

SEP

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When criticizing a "definition", specify which aspect is too broad and provide examples of what the definition inappropriately includes. This clarifies the issue and suggests ways to refine the definition.

Common error

Avoid simply stating that a "definition" is too broad without explaining why. This provides little value and doesn't offer constructive feedback. Always justify your assessment with specific examples or reasons.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "definition too broad" functions as a critical assessment of a definition, indicating that it encompasses too much and lacks necessary precision. Ludwig AI confirms its usability in written English. It is most commonly used to express concerns about the scope and applicability of a definition.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

33%

Science

33%

Formal & Business

33%

Less common in

Academia

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "definition too broad" is a grammatically sound and frequently used expression to criticize a definition for being overly inclusive and lacking precision. As confirmed by Ludwig AI, this phrase serves to disapprove of or express concerns about the scope and clarity of a specific definition. The phrase appears most commonly in news, science, and formal business contexts. Related phrases include "overly broad definition" and "definition lacks specificity". When using this phrase, provide specific examples to support your assessment and to promote a clearer discussion.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

overly broad definition

Reorders the words and replaces "too" with "overly", emphasizing excessiveness.

definition is too inclusive

Focuses on the inclusion aspect of the broadness.

definition lacks specificity

Highlights the lack of detail in the definition.

definition is excessively general

Replaces "broad" with "general" and adds "excessively" for emphasis.

definition is not well-defined

Shifts focus to the clarity and precision of the definition.

definition is imprecise

Emphasizes the lack of exactness in the definition.

definition is too encompassing

Highlights how the definition covers too much.

definition is impractical

Focuses on the lack of real-world applicability due to its broadness.

definition is unhelpfully vague

Emphasizes the lack of usefulness because of vagueness.

definition is amorphous

Uses a stronger term to suggest a lack of clear shape or boundaries.

FAQs

How can I use the phrase "definition too broad" in a sentence?

You can use "definition too broad" when you want to express that a particular definition is too inclusive or general. For example, "The legal definition of 'terrorism' is "definition too broad", potentially encompassing acts of civil disobedience."

What's a more formal way to say "definition too broad"?

More formal alternatives include "overly broad definition", "definition lacks specificity", or "the definition is excessively general". For example, "The proposed regulation suffers from an "overly broad definition" of 'financial instrument.'"

What are common problems associated with a definition being "too broad"?

A "definition too broad" can lead to unintended consequences, such as including items that shouldn't be included, creating loopholes, or making the definition difficult to apply consistently. It may include "definition too inclusive" and impractical.

Is it always negative for a definition to be "too broad"?

While a "definition too broad" is often problematic, in some cases, a broader definition might be intentionally used to provide flexibility or to cover a wider range of possibilities. However, this usually requires clear guidelines to prevent misinterpretation or misuse. It may be "definition imprecise".