adjective
-
extending over a wide area
-
accepted by or occurring among many people
Etymology
Origin of widespread
Explanation
Widespread means far-reaching. For years, email was used only by computer programmers and technophiles. It was hard to imagine, back then, how widespread the phenomenon of digital communication would become. An idea that's widespread, is believed by many people, even if it's not true. A person such as Oprah, Gandhi, or Beyoncé, who has widespread popularity, is loved by many far and wide. A widespread disease is one that many people have — the flu epidemic of 1919 was deadly and widespread.
Vocabulary lists containing widespread
"The Civil Rights Movement"
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
100 SAT words Beginning with W,X,Y, and Z
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
"Laws are not the only way to boost immunization”: an editorial from Nature
Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!
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.
It is likely to be the one of the most widespread outbreaks of heavy rain across southern and central parts of the UK this summer.
From BBC ● Aug. 25, 2026
While Trump didn't mention it in his Truth Social post, there was widespread praise from both parties for her Imagination Library program, which gave away millions of free books to children.
From Barron's ● Aug. 25, 2026
A 2026 study, external suggests that this type of behaviour may be more widespread across the species than previously thought.
From BBC ● Aug. 25, 2026
Horton, the country’s largest home builder, faces litigation involving thousands of Louisiana homeowners who say shoddy building practices failed to keep out moisture, leading to widespread mold growth in their homes.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 24, 2026
The term World Music is often used as a catch-all category referring to almost any music with widespread popularity that clearly does not sound like North American popular music.
From "Understanding Basic Music Theory" by Catherine Schmidt-Jones and Russel Jones
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.
