adjective
-
extending over a wide area
-
accepted by or occurring among many people
Etymology
Origin of widespread
Explanation
Widespread means far-reaching. For years, email was used only by computer programmers and technophiles. It was hard to imagine, back then, how widespread the phenomenon of digital communication would become. An idea that's widespread, is believed by many people, even if it's not true. A person such as Oprah, Gandhi, or Beyoncé, who has widespread popularity, is loved by many far and wide. A widespread disease is one that many people have — the flu epidemic of 1919 was deadly and widespread.
Vocabulary lists containing widespread
"The Civil Rights Movement"
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
100 SAT words Beginning with W,X,Y, and Z
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
"Laws are not the only way to boost immunization”: an editorial from Nature
Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
About 4.6 million people felt moderate to severe shaking as a result of the quake, according to the US Geological Survey, which has said that the effects of the disaster were "likely to be widespread".
From BBC ● Oct. 9, 2026
That’s not the case, despite AI’s use becoming widespread on Wall Street.
From MarketWatch ● Oct. 9, 2026
The country has been grappling with the fallout from an investment fund scandal which erupted in mid-September, prompting prosecutors to investigate allegations of widespread market manipulation.
From Barron's ● Oct. 9, 2026
One strategist said the turmoil in sovereign-bond markets could cause widespread ripple effects because much of the AI-driven economic expansion is fuelled by credit.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 8, 2026
At that time, there was a widespread belief that these stones that looked like living things were just that—rocks, which, through some mysterious process, mimicked the appearance of life.
From "The Scientists" by John Gribbin
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
