widely

adverb

wide·​ly ˈwīd-lē 

1

: over or through a wide area

has traveled widely

2

: to a great extent

departed widely from the previous edition

3

: by or among a large well-dispersed group of people

a widely known political figure

4

: over a broad range

… persons with widely fluctuating incomes.

—Current Biography

Examples of widely in a Sentence

Their products are widely available.

a widely known political figure

The books are widely read by adults as well as children.

Recent Examples on the Web

Nick Kurtz had been widely expected to join him in the All-Star Game as a reserve selection. — Sean Campbell, Sacbee.com, 4 July 2026

Videos of the incident circulated widely, drawing criticism and outrage over the pet’s death. — Paige St. John, Los Angeles Times, 5 July 2026

Overpopulation has become such a concern that hunting is widely viewed as one of the primary tools for controlling their numbers. — Amber Harding Outkick, FOXNews.com, 5 July 2026

Chamberlain, who died in 1999 at the age of 63, is widely regarded as one of the sport’s most dominant players of all time. — Toria Sheffield, PEOPLE, 4 July 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1579, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing widely

• widely believed
• widely distributed

Rhymes for widely

• impliedly
• idly
• unqualifiedly