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 Grades 9–10, List 4
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Common Core Grade 6, List 4
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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.
In a statement Lisburn and Castlereagh City Council said they are aware of the "ongoing global disruption" and will share "further updates if necessary".
From BBC ● Nov. 13, 2026
Then there’s the issue of refilling global oil reserves, which have fallen to their lowest in years, to help offset the war’s supply disruptions.
From MarketWatch ● Nov. 13, 2026
It turns out that cataclysmic global events aren’t necessarily the consequence of large forces and economic laws; often they’re the result of individual folly.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Nov. 13, 2026
Microsoft says services are being restored after a global office outage hit users across the world.
From Barron's ● Nov. 13, 2026
About 18,000 years ago, the last ice age gave way to a period of global warming.
From "Sapiens: A Brief History of Humankind" by Yuval Noah Harari
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Get a wordDefinitions 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.
