widespread
adjective
wide·spread
ˈwīd-ˈspred 
1
: widely diffused or prevalent
widespread public interest
2
: widely extended or spread out
… low, widespread hood and fenders …—
Time
Timea widespread erosion surface—C. B. Hitchcock
C. B. HitchcockExamples of widespread in a Sentence
There is widespread public interest in the election.
Trade partners had become more widespread.
There was widespread opposition to the plan.
Recent Examples on the Web
The Republican president's Thursday night post was blamed on a staffer after widespread backlash, from civil rights leaders to veteran Republican senators, for its treatment of the nation's first Black president and first lady.
—Bill Barrow, Arkansas Online, 7 Feb. 2026
Kouri Richins, a Utah children’s book author and mother of three, is charged with murdering her husband, Eric Richins, in a case that has drawn intense scrutiny and widespread media attention.
—Stepheny Price, FOXNews.com, 7 Feb. 2026
Most supervisors acknowledged that a local ordinance is unlikely to deter ICE, referencing the agency's escalation of detentions in Minnesota that have drawn widespread protests and led to the fatal shooting of two protesters by federal agents.
—Claudia Levens, jsonline.com, 6 Feb. 2026
Fortification began in the United States in the early 20th century, when scientists linked nutrient deficiencies to widespread health problems, explains Young.
—Daryl Austin, USA Today, 6 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for widespread
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Bill Barrow, Arkansas Online, 7 Feb. 2026
Kouri Richins, a Utah children’s book author and mother of three, is charged with murdering her husband, Eric Richins, in a case that has drawn intense scrutiny and widespread media attention.
—Stepheny Price, FOXNews.com, 7 Feb. 2026
Most supervisors acknowledged that a local ordinance is unlikely to deter ICE, referencing the agency's escalation of detentions in Minnesota that have drawn widespread protests and led to the fatal shooting of two protesters by federal agents.
—Claudia Levens, jsonline.com, 6 Feb. 2026
Fortification began in the United States in the early 20th century, when scientists linked nutrient deficiencies to widespread health problems, explains Young.
—Daryl Austin, USA Today, 6 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for widespread
Cite this Entry
“Widespread.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/widespread. Accessed 11 Feb. 2026.
Copy CitationKids Definition
widespread
adjective
wide·spread
ˈwīd-ˈspred
1
: scattered or found over a wide area
widespread interest in the election
2
: spread out over a wide area
widespread wings
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