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
Current BiographyExamples 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
It is widely thought that Israel did not have the firepower to target the Fordow nuclear site, where Iran's been enriching uranium and which is buried inside a mountain.
—CBS News, 22 June 2025
There’s a widely available alternative that will give you a comparable summer sip.
—Lauren Thomann, Better Homes & Gardens, 21 June 2025
Alterman worked widely as a music writer and was friends with Yoko Ono.
—Rachel Flynn, People.com, 21 June 2025
It is widely considered to be the first novel written in Gujarati—one of the fourteen major languages of India.
—Radha Vatsal
june 20, Literary Hub, 20 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for widely
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
CBS News, 22 June 2025
There’s a widely available alternative that will give you a comparable summer sip.
—Lauren Thomann, Better Homes & Gardens, 21 June 2025
Alterman worked widely as a music writer and was friends with Yoko Ono.
—Rachel Flynn, People.com, 21 June 2025
It is widely considered to be the first novel written in Gujarati—one of the fourteen major languages of India.
—Radha Vatsal
june 20, Literary Hub, 20 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for widely
Cite this Entry
“Widely.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/widely. Accessed 4 Jul. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share