widespread
adjective
wide·spread
ˈwīd-ˈspred 
1
: widely diffused or prevalent
widespread public interest
2
: widely extended or spread out
low, widespread hood and fenders—
Time
Timea widespread erosion surface—C. B. Hitchcock
C. B. HitchcockExamples of widespread in a Sentence
There is widespread public interest in the election.
Trade partners had become more widespread.
There was widespread opposition to the plan.
Recent Examples on the Web
The widespread selloff was mostly driven by anxiety about the impact of Trump’s tariffs.
—Tricia Escobedo, CNN, 11 Mar. 2025
Bill sponsors in the House and Senate said changes were needed to reduce fraud, pointing to a report released by the Office of Election Crimes and Security last year that alleged widespread fraud in the Amendment 4 campaign.
—Romy Ellenbogen, Miami Herald, 11 Mar. 2025
Industries Feeling the Brunt of the Shortages The effects will be widespread.
—Gary Drenik, Forbes, 11 Mar. 2025
Recent federal actions, including sweeping policy changes and immigration raids, have caused widespread fear and trauma, the county said in a press release.
—Bay City News, The Mercury News, 10 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for widespread
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.
Tricia Escobedo, CNN, 11 Mar. 2025
Bill sponsors in the House and Senate said changes were needed to reduce fraud, pointing to a report released by the Office of Election Crimes and Security last year that alleged widespread fraud in the Amendment 4 campaign.
—Romy Ellenbogen, Miami Herald, 11 Mar. 2025
Industries Feeling the Brunt of the Shortages The effects will be widespread.
—Gary Drenik, Forbes, 11 Mar. 2025
Recent federal actions, including sweeping policy changes and immigration raids, have caused widespread fear and trauma, the county said in a press release.
—Bay City News, The Mercury News, 10 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for widespread
Cite this Entry
“Widespread.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/widespread. Accessed 23 Mar. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
widespread
adjective
wide·spread
ˈwīd-ˈspred
1
: scattered or found over a wide area
widespread interest in the election
2
: spread out over a wide area
widespread wings
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share