sweeping

1 of 2

noun

sweep·​ing ˈswē-piŋ 

1

: the act or action of one that sweeps

gave the room a good sweeping

2

sweepings plural : things collected by sweeping : refuse

sweeping

2 of 2

adjective

1

a

: moving or extending in a wide curve or over a wide area

b

: having a curving line or form

2

a

: extensive

sweeping reforms

b

: marked by wholesale and indiscriminate inclusion

sweeping generalities

sweepingly adverb

sweepingness noun

Synonyms

Adjective

• broad
• deep
• expansive
• extended
• extensive
• far-flung
• far-reaching
• rangy
• wide
• wide-ranging
• widespread

Examples of sweeping in a Sentence

Noun

The porch needs a good sweeping.

Adjective

a sweeping view of the valley

He dismissed the idea with a sweeping motion of his arm.

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

Street sweeping will run from Tuesday, April 1, through November. —Lauren Penington, Denver Post, 30 Mar. 2025

Tips To Keep Linoleum Floors Clean Longer Regular sweeping and mopping will help keep linoleum floors looking their best. —Daley Quinn, Southern Living, 28 Feb. 2025

Adjective

Nissan on May 13 announced sweeping cuts across the company with plans to lay off another 11,000 employees and close more than a half-dozen plants across the globe. —Natalie Neysa Alund, USA Today, 14 May 2025

More so than Trump's deportations or sweeping government cuts, many now believe this could be it. —Nik Popli, Time, 13 May 2025

Word History

First Known Use

Noun

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Adjective

1573, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Phrases Containing sweeping

• sweeping victory

Rhymes for sweeping

• beeping
• creeping
• heaping
• keeping
• leaping
• peeping
• reaping
• seeping
• sleeping
• steeping
• weeping
• beekeeping

Kids Definition

sweeping

1 of 2 noun

sweep·​ing

1

: the act or action of one that sweeps

2

plural : things collected by sweeping

sweeping

2 of 2 adjective

1

a

: moving or extending in a wide curve or over a wide area

b

: having a curving line or form

2

: broad sense 5

sweeping reforms

sweeping generalizations

sweepingly

ˈswē-piŋ-lē

adverb