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

Widespread damage could keep energy prices high for months on end, regardless of whether Hormuz is reopened to traffic.

From MarketWatch • Mar. 21, 2026

Widespread wind advisories across the region are in place until 6 p.m.

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 7, 2026

Widespread demonstrations that erupted in Iran in late December were sparked by the dramatic devaluation of the rial.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jan. 26, 2026

Widespread fertilizer use could lead to harmful side effects, including emissions of nitrous oxide, a powerful greenhouse gas.

From Science Daily • Jan. 15, 2026

Widespread preoccupation with litigation, however, is not the only—or even the main—reason civil rights groups have shied away from challenging the new caste system.

From "The New Jim Crow" by Michelle Alexander