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

Nowhere to work and nothing to work with Federal workers who still have jobs have been ordered back into offices, only to face shortages of desks, internet bandwidth, and even toilet paper. —Shannon Bond, NPR, 28 Apr. 2025

Marketing was once limited by human bandwidth, where true scale felt more pipe dream than achievable reality. —Loreal Lynch, Forbes.com, 23 Apr. 2025

It’s designed to complement it, using available bandwidth for syncing whenever available via 3G or 4G connections. —IEEE Spectrum, 19 Apr. 2025

Jordan has a large bandwidth and a lot of capacity. —Carolyn Komatsoulis, Idaho Statesman, 18 Apr. 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