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
Combined with a lack of in-person social supports, widespread unemployment, collective mourning, and other disruptions to people’s mental health, these changes to our baseline feeling of trust disrupted our mental and emotional lives.
—Livia Gershon, JSTOR Daily, 5 Sep. 2025
Separately, Biden thrice designated Haiti for Temporary Protected Status in the aftermath of the murder of President Jovenel Moise, a devastating earthquake, mass internal displacement, widespread gang violence, chronic hunger and extreme impoverishment.
—Antonio Maria Delgado, Miami Herald, 5 Sep. 2025
The area was hit heavily by flooding and widespread destruction because the Mississippi River attaches at the mouth of the ward.
—Suzette Hackney, USA Today, 5 Sep. 2025
Last month Danish drugmaker Novo Nordisk launched its weight-loss drug, Wegovy, in South Africa, where increasingly widespread obesity has driven demand for such medication.
—Preeti Jha, semafor.com, 5 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for widespread
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Livia Gershon, JSTOR Daily, 5 Sep. 2025
Separately, Biden thrice designated Haiti for Temporary Protected Status in the aftermath of the murder of President Jovenel Moise, a devastating earthquake, mass internal displacement, widespread gang violence, chronic hunger and extreme impoverishment.
—Antonio Maria Delgado, Miami Herald, 5 Sep. 2025
The area was hit heavily by flooding and widespread destruction because the Mississippi River attaches at the mouth of the ward.
—Suzette Hackney, USA Today, 5 Sep. 2025
Last month Danish drugmaker Novo Nordisk launched its weight-loss drug, Wegovy, in South Africa, where increasingly widespread obesity has driven demand for such medication.
—Preeti Jha, semafor.com, 5 Sep. 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 9 Sep. 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
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