widely

adverb

wide·​ly ˈwīd-lē How to pronounce widely (audio)
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 incomesCurrent 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
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.
Sotto is the wizard behind the turn-of-the-century Main Street at Disneyland Paris, which is widely seen as one of the most elaborate lands in Disney history. Caroline Reid, Forbes.com, 16 May 2025 Mentha spicata is the classic garden mint or spearmint widely used in a range of dishes—from sweet to savory. Kim Toscano, Southern Living, 16 May 2025 What Lyft, Meta, Adobe, Bank of America offer Private-sector companies rarely offer such long leaves for paid sabbaticals, though policies vary widely. Cheryl Winokur Munk, CNBC, 16 May 2025 But the Pokémon performance problems were so pervasive and widely commented-upon that Nintendo released a rare apology promising to improve the game post-release. ArsTechnica, 16 May 2025 See All Example Sentences for widely

Word History

First Known Use

1579, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of widely was in 1579

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Cite this Entry

“Widely.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/widely. Accessed 28 May. 2025.

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