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

It's only been a few generations since birth control was widely accessible in the U.S. —Katia Riddle, NPR, 7 Aug. 2025

While the decision to lower rates was widely expected, the second round of voting was the first in the rate-setting committee’s history, coming amid intense global trade uncertainty caused by unpredictable US tariffs. —Paige Bruton, semafor.com, 7 Aug. 2025

The expedition was also widely criticized at the time, with some people calling it a waste of resources. —Hannah Dailey, Billboard, 7 Aug. 2025

These products are designed to meet stringent safety standards and are widely adopted by professional installers for their reliability and ease of integration. —Joe Cornell, Forbes.com, 7 Aug. 2025

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