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.
The price of a barrel of Brent crude, the global oil benchmark, has dropped to its lowest level since the war began.
From BBC • Jun. 23, 2026
Wei Dai is global head of research and Mamdouh Medhat is research director and vice president at investment firm Dimensional Fund Advisors.
From MarketWatch • Jun. 23, 2026
Bank of Canada Gov. Tiff Macklem warned that widening global imbalances and nonbank lenders heighten economic disruption risks.
From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 23, 2026
Scientists have shown that recurring heatwaves are a clear marker of global warming, and warn they are set to become more frequent, longer and more intense, driven by humans' burning of fossil fuels.
From Barron's • Jun. 23, 2026
The Freedmen were a Muscogee Nation–level issue and climate change was a global one—bigger than the scope of a group of teenagers working together to create short-format video content.
From "Legendary Frybread Drive-In" by Cynthia Leitich Smith
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.
