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Glite Dictionary
to cast a wider net

to cast a wider net

3 4.2
To look in more places to find someone or something
  • idiom
translation icon : ampliar el alcance
  • In order to attract a diverse group of participants, the event planners chose to cast a wider net with their advertising.

But so that, that's one thing cast a wide net, look around.

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Examples

  • To find the best candidates for the job, the company decided to cast a wider net during its recruitment process.

  • It is time we cast a wider net.

    Memoirs of a Geisha (2005)

  • As you look to move up in the world, one thing that might help is casting a wider net in your job search.

    Blog text (31)

  • Now, when it comes to filling cabinet positions, Trump has cast a wide net, starting with Donald Trump Junior.

  • In my own fieldwork, I tried to cast a wider net.

    Academic text (2003)

  • Mr. Loguidice said typical marketing strategies cast a wide net and hope to catch a small percentage of a large pool of potential customers.

    Academic text (2017)

  • Yes, we try to cast a wide net, mixing up all sorts of different kinds of fiction and non-fiction.

    Blog text (13)

  • While scanning the literature for this project, the authors initially cast a wide net to assess the degree to which the field has changed and expanded in the last decade.

    Academic text (2012)

  • However, in their efforts to increase enrollment or stem the tide of decreasing enrollment, universities may cast a wider net in their recruiting efforts.

    Academic text (2014)

  • The charity organization wanted to cast a wider net to reach more families in need of support.

Synonyms

to extend
vsto cast a wider net
680 3.2

To make something reach farther, such as more places or people

is about making searches more inclusive rather than lengthening time or reach
to broaden
vsto cast a wider net
92 3.9

To make or become wider and include more things

is used to widen a search or effort to include more options
to widen
vsto cast a wider net
85 2.5

To make something have more space from one side to the other so it fits or moves more easily

focuses on expanding efforts to include more people and possibilities

Antonyms

to narrow
204 2.8

Make options or choices fewer to focus on the best

to narrow down
129 3.5

Make a list of choices smaller until only a few remain

How Broad

far and wide
27 2.6
to cast a wider net
3 4.2
to search
∞ 1.0

Surface Forms

cast a wider net infinitive
cast a wider net past
cast a wider net past participle
casting a wider net present participle
casts a wider net third person singular

Morphology

cast + a + wide + net

The meaning 'to broaden one's search' follows directly from the literal image of 'cast' (to throw) + 'wider' (more broad) + 'net' (device for catching): throwing a larger net to catch more is an obvious metaphor. This is a readily inferable, conventional metaphor that B1 learners who know the constituent words can map to extending search or effort, and similar net-throwing metaphors exist in many languages.

Etymology

Cast a wider net comes from fishing. To cast is to throw a net, and making it wider catches more fish, so it now means 'to broaden your search or efforts'.