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
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
Eleanor McCrary, The Courier-Journal, 5 Mar. 2024
Someone who, having woken from Trump’s spell, would cast aside their fear and old grievances to send the political equivalent of the Rohirrim sweeping into the battle to save Middle-earth.
—Mary McNamara, Los Angeles Times, 29 Mar. 2024
Vacuuming or sweeping can remove spiders, webs, and egg sacs effectively.
—Jake Parks, Discover Magazine, 13 Feb. 2024
But the hole at the top of the handle for storage was an appreciated extra, and the efficient sweeping of debris made this broom a good value.
—Carrie Honaker, Southern Living, 26 Jan. 2024
Keep on top of sweeping and vacuuming to prevent your pet from stepping on them around the tree.
—Skyler Caruso, Peoplemag, 18 Dec. 2023
The idea to do a sweeping, Ken Burns-style doc series about John F. Kennedy came to Gleckman early in the pandemic.
—Lacey Rose, The Hollywood Reporter, 17 Nov. 2023
The National Weather Service said that heavy snow could disrupt travel plans in the northern and central Rockies and High Plains on Thursday, with cold air from the Arctic sweeping over much of the northern parts of the country.
—Patrick Smith, NBC News, 23 Nov. 2023
The Trinity League rivals split league meetings with each sweeping on its home court.
—Steve Galluzzo, Los Angeles Times, 3 Nov. 2023
Jonathan Shorman, Kansas City Star, 24 Apr. 2024
However, the training exercise ran into trouble as the unit passed Wilton Crescent, a lavish, sweeping terrace built in the 1800s in the affluent Belgravia area of London.
—Alexander Smith, NBC News, 24 Apr. 2024
Republicans demanded sweeping border security changes in exchange for their support.
—USA TODAY, 24 Apr. 2024
The property was built in 2019 and also offers sweeping views of the surrounding Calabasas hills.
—Natalia Senanayake, Peoplemag, 23 Apr. 2024
The hotel, located in the heart of Chania's Old Town, allows travelers to stay amid the action while also offering a retreat-worthy rooftop garden that comes with sweeping views of the sea.
—Stacey Leasca, Travel + Leisure, 23 Apr. 2024
Williams sees this sweeping movement of anti-trans bills as our newest culture war.
—Danielle Marie Holland, Parents, 19 Apr. 2024
At the Oscars in 2019, one production company was at the center of the year’s most talked about films and on the cusp of the industry’s sweeping trends.
—Pamela McClintock, The Hollywood Reporter, 19 Apr. 2024
Stretch your legs on the Five Oaks Trail, a 1.2-mile path that ascends the western flank of Volcan Mountain and offers sweeping views of the orchards below.
—Michael Charboneau, Los Angeles Times, 18 Apr. 2024
Noun
Street sweeping is set to resume Tuesday — and could look a little differently this year.
—Eleanor McCrary, The Courier-Journal, 5 Mar. 2024
Someone who, having woken from Trump’s spell, would cast aside their fear and old grievances to send the political equivalent of the Rohirrim sweeping into the battle to save Middle-earth.
—Mary McNamara, Los Angeles Times, 29 Mar. 2024
Vacuuming or sweeping can remove spiders, webs, and egg sacs effectively.
—Jake Parks, Discover Magazine, 13 Feb. 2024
But the hole at the top of the handle for storage was an appreciated extra, and the efficient sweeping of debris made this broom a good value.
—Carrie Honaker, Southern Living, 26 Jan. 2024
Keep on top of sweeping and vacuuming to prevent your pet from stepping on them around the tree.
—Skyler Caruso, Peoplemag, 18 Dec. 2023
The idea to do a sweeping, Ken Burns-style doc series about John F. Kennedy came to Gleckman early in the pandemic.
—Lacey Rose, The Hollywood Reporter, 17 Nov. 2023
The National Weather Service said that heavy snow could disrupt travel plans in the northern and central Rockies and High Plains on Thursday, with cold air from the Arctic sweeping over much of the northern parts of the country.
—Patrick Smith, NBC News, 23 Nov. 2023
The Trinity League rivals split league meetings with each sweeping on its home court.
—Steve Galluzzo, Los Angeles Times, 3 Nov. 2023
Adjective
For a time, chastened lawmakers tamped down on sweeping tax cuts.
—Jonathan Shorman, Kansas City Star, 24 Apr. 2024
However, the training exercise ran into trouble as the unit passed Wilton Crescent, a lavish, sweeping terrace built in the 1800s in the affluent Belgravia area of London.
—Alexander Smith, NBC News, 24 Apr. 2024
Republicans demanded sweeping border security changes in exchange for their support.
—USA TODAY, 24 Apr. 2024
The property was built in 2019 and also offers sweeping views of the surrounding Calabasas hills.
—Natalia Senanayake, Peoplemag, 23 Apr. 2024
The hotel, located in the heart of Chania's Old Town, allows travelers to stay amid the action while also offering a retreat-worthy rooftop garden that comes with sweeping views of the sea.
—Stacey Leasca, Travel + Leisure, 23 Apr. 2024
Williams sees this sweeping movement of anti-trans bills as our newest culture war.
—Danielle Marie Holland, Parents, 19 Apr. 2024
At the Oscars in 2019, one production company was at the center of the year’s most talked about films and on the cusp of the industry’s sweeping trends.
—Pamela McClintock, The Hollywood Reporter, 19 Apr. 2024
Stretch your legs on the Five Oaks Trail, a 1.2-mile path that ascends the western flank of Volcan Mountain and offers sweeping views of the orchards below.
—Michael Charboneau, Los Angeles Times, 18 Apr. 2024
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'sweeping.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near sweeping
Cite this Entry
“Sweeping.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/sweeping. Accessed 28 Apr. 2024.
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