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.
“Buying spectrum is not a commitment to build a nationwide network,” Rezaei wrote.
From MarketWatch ● Oct. 9, 2026
Televised scenes of her being carried away from the flat on a stretcher sparked nationwide protests against Spain’s housing crisis.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 8, 2026
So what changed to make it worthy of nationwide celebration?
From BBC ● Oct. 8, 2026
A similar nationwide analysis of paternal mortality is not currently possible because of limitations in how birth and death data are handled.
From Science Daily ● Oct. 8, 2026
She arranged to have the books distributed to schools and libraries nationwide.
From "Votes for Women!" by Winifred Conkling
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.
