nationwide

American  

[ney-shuhn-wahyd] / ˈneɪ ʃənˈwaɪd /

adjective

1. extending throughout the nation.

   The incident aroused nationwide interest.

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nationwide British  

/ ˈneɪʃənˌwaɪd /

adjective

1. covering or available to the whole of a nation; national

   a nationwide survey

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Etymology

Origin of nationwide

First recorded in 1910–15; nation + -wide

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

“You need to make sure that you’ll be able to make those payments for the full length of the policy,” says Morgan & Morgan, a law firm with offices nationwide.

From MarketWatch • Apr. 14, 2026

The state is the fifth-largest economy in the world, and its environmental, consumer and tech policies often inspire regulations nationwide.

From BBC • Apr. 13, 2026

Most Americans who end pregnancies rely on the medications mifepristone and misoprostol, which account for more than half of all abortions nationwide.

From Slate • Apr. 13, 2026

He said raw milk advocates, including his company, have urged the FDA to create a set of federal standards to ensure raw milk safety nationwide.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 11, 2026

But the press and the Princeton study painted a picture of nationwide mass hysteria.

From "Spooked!" by Gail Jarrow

Related Words

• civil
• communal
• domestic
• ethnic
• governmental
• internal
• interstate
• public
• social