widespread
adjective
wide·spread
ˈwīd-ˈspred 
1
: widely diffused or prevalent
widespread public interest
2
: widely extended or spread out
… low, widespread hood and fenders …—
Time
Timea widespread erosion surface—C. B. Hitchcock
C. B. HitchcockExamples of widespread in a Sentence
There is widespread public interest in the election.
Trade partners had become more widespread.
There was widespread opposition to the plan.
Recent Examples on the Web
Lindsey Price Jackson New York City Stillman’s piece details widespread medical neglect at the Dilley Immigration Processing Center, in Dilley, Texas, and points out that one source for its population’s medical problems is the town’s water.
—The New Yorker, New Yorker, 4 May 2026
And as the technological conditions for widespread employee surveillance have fallen into place, so have the cultural and economic conditions.
—Ellen Cushing, The Atlantic, 3 May 2026
Bouzine says roughly 80% of his customers typically arrive on Spirit flights and worries the shutdown will have widespread effects.
—Eva Andersen, CBS News, 3 May 2026
Legal constraints may limit widespread changes before 2026, but the ruling is expected to drive significant shifts by 2028 and shape the next round of redistricting after the 2030 census.
—Samantha-Jo Roth, The Washington Examiner, 2 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for widespread
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The New Yorker, New Yorker, 4 May 2026
And as the technological conditions for widespread employee surveillance have fallen into place, so have the cultural and economic conditions.
—Ellen Cushing, The Atlantic, 3 May 2026
Bouzine says roughly 80% of his customers typically arrive on Spirit flights and worries the shutdown will have widespread effects.
—Eva Andersen, CBS News, 3 May 2026
Legal constraints may limit widespread changes before 2026, but the ruling is expected to drive significant shifts by 2028 and shape the next round of redistricting after the 2030 census.
—Samantha-Jo Roth, The Washington Examiner, 2 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for widespread
Cite this Entry
“Widespread.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/widespread. Accessed 7 May. 2026.
Copy CitationKids Definition
widespread
adjective
wide·spread
ˈwīd-ˈspred
1
: scattered or found over a wide area
widespread interest in the election
2
: spread out over a wide area
widespread wings
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