nationwide
Americanadjective
adjective
Etymology
Origin of nationwide
Explanation
Something nationwide refers to or covers the whole country. A nationwide shortage of wheat would affect everyone in every single state. A gossipy news story about a presidential candidate might cause a nationwide scandal, if everyone in the whole country were talking about it. And if a drought seemed to be spreading nationwide, farmers from Maine to California would start to worry about that year's crops. Nationwide combines nation, from the Latin nationem, "origin" or "race of people," and wide, from its "extending through the whole of" meaning.
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 39th annual Hispanic Heritage Awards — which will honor the contributions and accomplishments of Latinos in the U.S. and Latin America — will air nationwide Friday on PBS.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 30, 2026
Supporters argue that nationwide rules are needed to replace a patchwork of state laws and repeated litigation.
From Barron's ● Sep. 29, 2026
She said water levels in the city appeared to be worse than in 2011, when Bangkok was impacted by nationwide flooding.
From BBC ● Sep. 26, 2026
Some police and public-safety officials say Flock, which has about 120,000 cameras nationwide, helps prevent and solve crime, including child abductions and hit-and-run crashes.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 23, 2026
But the press and the Princeton study painted a picture of nationwide mass hysteria.
From "Spooked!" by Gail Jarrow
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.
