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.
A global symbol of parties and celebrations but an environmental headache, the humble balloon is undergoing a green revolution thanks to UK researchers.
From Barron's ● Aug. 23, 2026
While this anniversary is significant to Ukraine, it is part of a much larger story of how the global order has changed over the past 3½ decades.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 23, 2026
"It's a success story for the group," CFG's managing director of global football Brian Marwood told BBC Sport.
From BBC ● Aug. 23, 2026
There’s a question historians will one day ask of this era: Who started the global nuclear arms race?
From Salon ● Aug. 23, 2026
The event, it is thought, may have carried humans right to the brink of extinction, reducing the global population to no more than a few thousand individuals.
From "A Short History of Nearly Everything" by Bill Bryson
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.
