Meaning & use
big spread
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Meanings
nouncountablefinance
a large difference between two amounts, prices, or groups
Grammar: Usually used with 'a' or 'the': there is a big spread between the two figures.
Patterns
- a big spread between something and something
- a big spread in something
There is a big spread between what the company earns and what it spends.
The survey showed a big spread in test scores across the region.
nouncountablefinancespecialist
the difference between the buying and selling price of a share or currency
Grammar: Common in trading: dealers talk about a wide or narrow spread.
Patterns
- a big spread on something
- a big spread between the bid and the offer
A big spread on that currency makes it expensive to trade.
New regulations aim to reduce the big spread charged to small investors.
nouncountableold-fashioned
a large area of land or a large arrangement of food on a table
Grammar: This sense is old-fashioned for food; for land it is still used literally.
Patterns
- a big spread of something
They own a big spread of farmland in the valley.
The wedding had a big spread of cakes and sandwiches.
Word forms
| plural | big spreads |
|---|
Common combinations
- a big spread between
- There is a big spread between the highest and lowest salaries.
- a big spread on
- The bank charges a big spread on foreign exchange.
- a big spread of
- We saw a big spread of opinions in the comments.
- have a big spread
- The two teams have a big spread in experience.
Synonyms and how they differ
- gap
- Neutral and general; use 'gap' for any difference, but 'spread' suggests a range or distribution.
- margin
- Often used in business for the difference between cost and price; more technical than 'spread'.
- difference
- The most general word; 'big spread' is more informal and often suggests a wide range.
Opposites
Commonly confused: big spread or big spender?
big spread vs big spender
A 'big spender' is a person who spends a lot of money; a 'big spread' is a difference or range.
Practice
The dealer warned that there was a big spread ___ the buy and sell prices.
Choose one answer.
'Between' is used for a difference involving two specific prices, so 'between the buy and sell prices' is correct. 'Among' would need three or more items, and 'through' and 'over' do not fit this fixed pattern.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “big spread”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.