global
Americanadjective
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pertaining to the whole world; worldwide; universal.
the dream of global peace.
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globular; globe-shaped.
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of, relating to, or using a terrestrial or celestial globe.
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(of a computer operation, linguistic rule, etc.) operating on a group of similar strings, commands, etc., in a single step.
adjective
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covering, influencing, or relating to the whole world
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comprehensive
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of global
Explanation
When something is global, it's happening all over the world. It's easy to spot the connection between global and globe. When the volcano in Iceland erupted, it quickly became a global event. Sure, things were tough in Reykjavík, but the dust and ash caused airport shutdowns and schedule disruptions around the world. Michael Jackson was a star in the United States from the time he was a little boy, but after he broke up with his brothers and went solo in the 1980s, he became a global phenomenon. There was hardly a country on earth where Michael Jackson wasn't a star.
Vocabulary lists containing global
Common Core Grades 7–8, List 4
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Common Core Grade 6, List 4
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"Principles of Business," Vocabulary from Chapter 3
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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.
That strategy took China from 16% of global supply in 1999 to roughly 90% today.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 24, 2026
The campus sits on the outskirts of Hangzhou, a former imperial capital whose futuristic skyline is just the first hint of its role as a global tech hub.
From BBC ● Aug. 24, 2026
But the agency stressed that its removal of restrictions on Syria "does not change Treasury's posture with regards to countering global terrorism and our commitment to hold bad actors in Syria accountable."
From Barron's ● Aug. 24, 2026
“Why would I want to blow up the global financial system?”
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 24, 2026
Just ninety miles off the coast of Florida, the island nation of Cuba was fast becoming a flash point in the global Cold War.
From "Spies: The Secret Showdown Between America and Russia" by Marc Favreau
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.
