widely

[wahyd-lee]

adverb

1. to a wide extent.

2. over a wide space or area.

   a widely distributed plant.

3. by or among a large number of persons.

   a widely known artist.

4. in many or various subjects, cases, etc..

   to be widely read.

5. greatly, very much, or very.

   widely differing accounts of an event.

Word History and Origins

Origin of widely¹

First recorded in 1655–65; wide + -ly

Example Sentences

He also developed widely used tools both to diagnose the disorder and determine whether treatments were effective or not.

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The soft-spoken attorney was widely vilified for pushing through legislation banning the death penalty at a time when most French people still supported the practice.

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“Panther Lake is already in production, on track to meet customer commitments, and poised to become the industry’s most widely adopted PC platform,” Intel stated.

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Images widely shared on social media highlight the rowdy lines at petrol stations in Bamako, with people waiting for hours.

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Lawmakers reset the widely used standard deduction to become larger for tax year 2025 and continue to grow in 2026 and beyond.

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Related Words

• broadly 
• commonly 
• generally 
• universally