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

Cieloween explained that the moves shown by participants vary widely. — Mitchell McCluskey, CNN Money, 24 Aug. 2026

Newsom is widely seen as a potential Democratic candidate in the 2028 presidential election. — Carter Schroppe, The Washington Examiner, 23 Aug. 2026

The San Miguel Chapel, three blocks south of the Plaza, is widely considered the oldest church building in the country. — Dan Fellner, AZCentral.com, 23 Aug. 2026

Episodes tended to be repetitive and formulaic and the level of detail devoted to knowledge varied widely. — ABC News, 23 Aug. 2026

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