broad-brush comment
- noun
:
comentario general
- Her broad-brush comment about the team's efforts overlooked their individual achievements.
Examples
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His broad-brush comment about the issue was unhelpful.
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Critics accused the report of containing too many broad-brush comments and not enough specifics.
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It is easy to make a broad-brush comment without knowing all the facts involved.
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Don't make a broad-brush comment without knowing the facts!
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His broad-brush comment overlooked the complexities of the situation.
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The article contained a broad-brush comment that failed to address the specifics.
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She made a broad-brush comment about the team's performance without acknowledging individual efforts.
Synonyms
43
5.3
A statement that applies to many people or situations
12
6.5
A broad statement that does not give specific details
A vague remark that gives no useful information
An explanation that is vague and lacks proof or important detail
How Specific
Surface Forms
Morphology
broad-brush + comment
The sense 'general, lacking detail' can be linked to 'broad' (wide/general) combined with the metaphorical idea of a 'brush' making large, sweeping strokes, so the overall meaning is partially inferable from the parts. However, the metaphorical transfer (painting → generalising) is not fully literal and may not be immediately predictable to an average B1 learner without prior exposure, so it is only partially transparent.
Etymology
Broad-brush comment comes from painting: imagine someone using a broad brush to cover a large area with quick, wide strokes and no fine detail. So it describes a remark that is 'general' and misses the 'specifics'.