broad-spectrum
Americanadjective
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noting an antibiotic, insecticide, or other chemical effective against a wide range of organisms.
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noting a sunscreen effective in absorbing or blocking ultraviolet (UVA and UVB) radiation.
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having a wide range of uses.
The questionnaire is a broad-spectrum tool for diagnosing depression and anxiety.
noun
Etymology
Origin of broad-spectrum
First recorded in 1950–55
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.
"Their paper should enable a broad spectrum of studies that previously were intractable."
From Science Daily • Jan. 19, 2026
The new findings show that it also has powerful antimicrobial activity, killing a broad spectrum of pathogens, including fungal species that do not respond well to common antifungal medications.
From Science Daily • Dec. 7, 2025
The family told Adam the successful candidate should ideally also have knowledge of or interest in horse riding, skiing, the arts and music so as to influence the child in a broad spectrum of interests.
From BBC • Nov. 9, 2025
“When it comes to the affordability issue, when it comes to economics, those are the things that across the broad spectrum of our coalition, all those things matter to everybody,” Aziz said.
From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 1, 2025
Eurodicautom covered "a broad spectrum of human knowledge", mainly relating to economy, science, technology and legislation in the European Union.
From The Internet and Languages [around the year 2000] by Lebert, Marie
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.
