paint with a broad brush
Ignore important distinctions
To paint with a broad brush is to describe or characterize something in general terms, ignoring details and distinctions.
The metaphor comes from painting—a broad brush covers area quickly but can't render fine details.
The phrase often carries mild criticism, suggesting oversimplification: You're painting with a broad brush when you say all politicians are corrupt.
- blanket termBroad categorical descriptor
- assumptionUnverified belief accepted as true
- oversimplificationStripping complexity unfairly
- strokeSudden brain blood blockage
- rough sketchUnfinished preliminary drawing
universality · overgeneralization · reductionism · black and white · homogenization · labeling · hyperbole · rule of thumb · big picture · one-size-fits-all · cookie cutter · palette · impressionism · canvas · stereotyping · categorization · exaggeration · abstraction
paint with a broad brushget into the weeds
split hairs · fine-tooth comb · nitpick · differentiate · discriminate
paint, paints, painted, painting, painter, painters, painterly, repaint, broad