widely

adverb

wide·​ly ˈwīd-lē How to pronounce widely (audio)
1
: over or through a wide area
has traveled widely
2
: to a great extent
departed widely from the previous edition
3
: by or among a large well-dispersed group of people
a widely known political figure
4
: over a broad range
persons with widely fluctuating incomesCurrent Biography

Examples of widely in a Sentence

Their products are widely available. a widely known political figure The books are widely read by adults as well as children.
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
The potentially massive tariffs he’s floated for goods coming from Mexico, Canada and China are widely expected to eventually push up inflation, which could keep the Fed from cutting rates — or even lead to a hike instead. Bryan Mena, CNN, 18 Dec. 2024 The Bank of England is widely expected to hold rates steady at its final monetary policy meeting of the year on Thursday. Karen Gilchrist,chloe Taylor,holly Ellyatt, CNBC, 18 Dec. 2024 President Volodymyr Zelensky and his aides have maintained that Ukraine will stop fighting only if it is granted NATO membership—a position widely understood to be an opening gambit for talks. Robert F. Worth, The Atlantic, 18 Dec. 2024 The rate reduction, the third in a row, had been widely expected, but where policymakers go from here is anything but certain. Don Lee, Los Angeles Times, 18 Dec. 2024 See all Example Sentences for widely 

Word History

First Known Use

1579, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of widely was in 1579

Dictionary Entries Near widely

Cite this Entry

“Widely.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/widely. Accessed 22 Dec. 2024.

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!