sweeping

1 of 2

noun

sweep·​ing ˈswē-piŋ How to pronounce sweeping (audio)
1
: the act or action of one that sweeps
gave the room a good sweeping
2
sweepings plural : things collected by sweeping : refuse

sweeping

2 of 2

adjective

1
a
: moving or extending in a wide curve or over a wide area
b
: having a curving line or form
2
a
: extensive
sweeping reforms
b
: marked by wholesale and indiscriminate inclusion
sweeping generalities
sweepingly adverb
sweepingness noun

Examples of sweeping in a Sentence

Noun The porch needs a good sweeping. Adjective a sweeping view of the valley He dismissed the idea with a sweeping motion of his arm.
Recent Examples on the Web
Noun
Vacuuming or sweeping can remove spiders, webs, and egg sacs effectively. Jake Parks, Discover Magazine, 13 Feb. 2024 But the hole at the top of the handle for storage was an appreciated extra, and the efficient sweeping of debris made this broom a good value. Carrie Honaker, Southern Living, 26 Jan. 2024 Keep on top of sweeping and vacuuming to prevent your pet from stepping on them around the tree. Skyler Caruso, Peoplemag, 18 Dec. 2023 The idea to do a sweeping, Ken Burns-style doc series about John F. Kennedy came to Gleckman early in the pandemic. Lacey Rose, The Hollywood Reporter, 17 Nov. 2023 The National Weather Service said that heavy snow could disrupt travel plans in the northern and central Rockies and High Plains on Thursday, with cold air from the Arctic sweeping over much of the northern parts of the country. Patrick Smith, NBC News, 23 Nov. 2023 The Trinity League rivals split league meetings with each sweeping on its home court. Steve Galluzzo, Los Angeles Times, 3 Nov. 2023 The dirt floors of historic homes required daily sweeping to keep them clean and compacted. Kate Morgan, Washington Post, 3 Nov. 2023 Daily vacuuming and sweeping can become a daunting task, especially if your dog sheds a lot. Amber Smith, Discover Magazine, 2 Aug. 2023
Adjective
Senate border bill: The Senate voted down a sweeping national security and border package after most Senate Republicans banded together with a handful of Democrats to reject the legislation their leadership helped negotiate. Nick Miroff, Washington Post, 20 Mar. 2024 As a bonus, the aeries will also come with expansive outdoor terraces that offer sweeping views of the water. Abby Montanez, Robb Report, 20 Mar. 2024 The biggest such case in the music industry is a sweeping lawsuit filed by Live Nation, seeking coverage from Factory Mutual Insurance Co. for more than 10,000 shows (encompassing a whopping 15 million tickets) that were canceled or postponed during the pandemic. Bill Donahue, Billboard, 20 Mar. 2024 The move came as part of a sweeping set of AI rules issued by the Biden administration through executive order in October. Max Zahn, ABC News, 19 Mar. 2024 Four years ago, Beijing imposed a sweeping security law triggered by the massive anti-government protests in 2019. Kanis Leung, The Christian Science Monitor, 19 Mar. 2024 Unilever pulling up its socks The sweeping changes come within a year of Hein Schumacher taking over as CEO, who took on the top role to kickstart the company’s lackluster performance. Prarthana Prakash, Fortune Europe, 19 Mar. 2024 House Republicans last year called for a sweeping, hardline border deal, but the Senate has taken different approaches in recent months and lawmakers have failed to coalesce around a solution to address the crisis at the southern border.. USA TODAY, 18 Mar. 2024 The former New York representative was expelled from the House last year for fabricating his background and his sweeping criminal charges. Anthony Robledo, USA TODAY, 8 Mar. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'sweeping.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

Noun

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Adjective

1573, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Time Traveler
The first known use of sweeping was in the 14th century

Dictionary Entries Near sweeping

Cite this Entry

“Sweeping.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/sweeping. Accessed 28 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

sweeping

1 of 2 noun
sweep·​ing
1
: the act or action of one that sweeps
2
plural : things collected by sweeping

sweeping

2 of 2 adjective
1
a
: moving or extending in a wide curve or over a wide area
b
: having a curving line or form
2
: broad sense 5
sweeping reforms
sweeping generalizations
sweepingly
ˈswē-piŋ-lē
adverb

More from Merriam-Webster on sweeping

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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