bandwidth

noun

band·​width ˈband-ˌwidth 

-ˌwitth

1

: a range within a band of wavelengths, frequencies, or energies

especially : a range of radio frequencies which is occupied by a modulated carrier wave, which is assigned to a service, or over which a device can operate

2

: the capacity for data transfer of an electronic communications system

Graphics consume more bandwidth than text does.

especially : the maximum data transfer rate of such a system

a bandwidth of 100 megabits per second

3

: the emotional or mental capacity necessary to do or consider something

I don't have the bandwidth to do it all myself, and I feel like a failure because I'm not living up to my own ideals.

—Frances Lefkowitz

Examples of bandwidth in a Sentence

The modem has a bandwidth of 56 kilobits per second.

Graphics use more bandwidth than text does.

Recent Examples on the Web

As high-bandwidth activities become the norm, unlimited data has shifted from a luxury to a necessity for many customers. —Roxanne Downer, USA Today, 30 Oct. 2025

The researchers demonstrated an ultra-wide 145 GHz bandwidth wireless transmission of orthogonal frequency-division multiplexing (OFDM) signals over the air, covering a 5–150 GHz frequency region. —Kaif Shaikh, Interesting Engineering, 29 Oct. 2025

The amount of bandwidth provided by SpaceX's Starlink satellites is limiting Ukraine's ability to operate ground robots on the frontline of the nation's war against Russia, forcing the beleaguered nation's tech innovators to look for out-of-the-box solutions. —Tereza Pultarova, Space.com, 27 Oct. 2025

The service—which allows users to set their location to over 160 locations in 105 countries with unlimited bandwidth—offers a 30-day free trial and a money-back guarantee with several subscription options to fit different viewing needs. —Jason Pham, StyleCaster, 27 Oct. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1913, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Kids Definition

bandwidth

noun

band·​width ˈband-ˌwidth 

1

: a range of frequencies

2

: the capacity for or rate of data transfer

a high bandwidth Internet connection