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.
Current chemical products on the market use a mix of ingredients to achieve broad-spectrum coverage, but the formulations have weaknesses and require frequent reapplication.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 3, 2026
Look for broad-spectrum sunscreen with an SPF of 30 or higher; it should be worn daily and reapplied every couple of hours.
From Los Angeles Times ● Dec. 21, 2024
If an injured soldier can’t be evacuated quickly, medics are “more likely to give broad-spectrum antibiotics” to prevent infection, he says.
From Science Magazine ● Nov. 27, 2024
The research team also remains hopeful about the potential use of this broad-spectrum antiviral medicine against other RNA viruses.
From Science Daily ● Jun. 3, 2024
Even the broad-spectrum drugs were losing their effectiveness to a dangerous degree within decades of their introduction.
From The Native Soil by Nourse, Alan Edward
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.
