widely

[wahyd-lee]

adverb

1. to a wide extent.

2. over a wide space or area.

   a widely distributed plant.

3. by or among a large number of persons.

   a widely known artist.

4. in many or various subjects, cases, etc..

   to be widely read.

5. greatly, very much, or very.

   widely differing accounts of an event.

Word History and Origins

Origin of widely¹

First recorded in 1655–65; wide + -ly

Example Sentences

His exclusion, confirmed by the Constitutional Council, was widely criticised as a ploy to prevent any strong challenge to President Biya.

Read more on BBC

Yet in comparison with other artists and celebrities who’ve widely criticized the president and his policies, Bad Bunny is not all that political or outspoken.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

While Nvidia has dominated the AI chip market, AMD’s processors are widely used for gaming, in personal computers and traditional data-center servers.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

The country today is widely understood to be headed toward some kind of debt or spending meltdown.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

The editorial notes that factors such as climate change, rapid urbanization, and increasing international travel are helping mosquito-borne viruses spread more widely, creating new public health challenges around the world.

Read more on Science Daily

Related Words

• broadly 
• commonly 
• generally 
• universally