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 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
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.
Their approach uses alcohols in combination with an inexpensive, widely available iron catalyst, offering a sustainable and practical solution. Bojan Stojkovski, Interesting Engineering, 16 Nov. 2025 The results of such exams are described as sometimes inconclusive but are widely considered an essential part of obtaining a top-secret clearance. Hollie Silverman, MSNBC Newsweek, 16 Nov. 2025 The ruling had been widely expected, as McAfee had previously signaled that those counts were legally vulnerable before the case was paused due to the effort to remove former District Attorney Fani Willis. Kaelan Deese, The Washington Examiner, 16 Nov. 2025 The Art of Loving has been widely praised. William Vaillancourt, Rolling Stone, 16 Nov. 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 24 Nov. 2025.

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