widespread

American  

[wahyd-spred] / ˈwaɪdˈsprɛd /

adjective

1. spread over or open, or occupying a wide space.

2. distributed over a wide region, or occurring in many places or among many persons or individuals.

   widespread poverty.

   Synonyms:

   far-flung, pervasive, extensive, far-reaching

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widespread British  

/ ˈwaɪdˌsprɛd /

adjective

1. extending over a wide area

2. accepted by or occurring among many people

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Etymology

Origin of widespread

First recorded in 1695–1705; wide + spread

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.

Example Sentences

Influencers stand to profit persuading men there’s a widespread “masculinity crisis,” the researchers found, noting that 72% of the accounts they analyzed had a stake in testosterone supplements and treatments.

From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 10, 2026

The combination of storm events and widespread drought led to food shortages across the world.

From BBC • Jun. 9, 2026

"There is a need to address environmental TFA pollution because it is widespread, highly persistent, and levels are increasing," said Professor Hossaini.

From Science Daily • Jun. 9, 2026

"Our officers have a role to facilitate and accommodate peaceful protest," he said, while cautioning against a repeat of widespread anti-immigrant rioting last June.

From Barron's • Jun. 9, 2026

This table gives approximate dates of widespread adoption of significant developments in three Eurasian and four Native American areas.

From "Guns, Germs, and Steel: The Fates of Human Societies" by Jared M. Diamond