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
Co-created with star Stephen Graham, the four-part series uses a daring one-shot for each episode to call attention to widespread reports of young boys involved in knife crimes.
—Glenn Garner, Deadline, 23 Mar. 2025
The Pandemic's Unexpected Lesson The widespread shift to remote learning during the 2020 pandemic, Viney explained, provided an unprecedented, albeit unintentional, experiment in alternative education.
—Dan Fitzpatrick, Forbes, 23 Mar. 2025
Ivermectin is prescribed for cases that don't improve with other treatments, such as widespread scabies that are hard to treat with creams alone.
—Sarah Bradley, Health, 22 Mar. 2025
Scattered to widespread storms are expected tonight, mainly along and south of the Missouri River.
—Kendrick Calfee, Kansas City Star, 22 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.
Glenn Garner, Deadline, 23 Mar. 2025
The Pandemic's Unexpected Lesson The widespread shift to remote learning during the 2020 pandemic, Viney explained, provided an unprecedented, albeit unintentional, experiment in alternative education.
—Dan Fitzpatrick, Forbes, 23 Mar. 2025
Ivermectin is prescribed for cases that don't improve with other treatments, such as widespread scabies that are hard to treat with creams alone.
—Sarah Bradley, Health, 22 Mar. 2025
Scattered to widespread storms are expected tonight, mainly along and south of the Missouri River.
—Kendrick Calfee, Kansas City Star, 22 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 28 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