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
Some of these recent crackdowns have drawn widespread protests, such as those in Minneapolis.
—Blake Ellis, CNN Money, 27 Feb. 2026
Brown made his film directorial debut with the 2005 documentary Off the Chain, which explored the widespread abuse of American pit bull terriers.
—Wesley Stenzel, Entertainment Weekly, 27 Feb. 2026
Connecticut also prohibits the use of vape flavors that are common in our neighboring states — flavors such as Orange Creamsicle, Mango, or Strawberry — despite their widespread availability and consumer acceptance right over our borders.
—Rino Ferrarese, Hartford Courant, 27 Feb. 2026
The storm caused hazardous travel impacts from the Plains to the Northeast, as well as widespread power outages, and produced blizzard conditions on the Outer Banks, with New York City receiving more than 11 inches of snow.
—Brandi D. Addison, USA Today, 27 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for widespread
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Blake Ellis, CNN Money, 27 Feb. 2026
Brown made his film directorial debut with the 2005 documentary Off the Chain, which explored the widespread abuse of American pit bull terriers.
—Wesley Stenzel, Entertainment Weekly, 27 Feb. 2026
Connecticut also prohibits the use of vape flavors that are common in our neighboring states — flavors such as Orange Creamsicle, Mango, or Strawberry — despite their widespread availability and consumer acceptance right over our borders.
—Rino Ferrarese, Hartford Courant, 27 Feb. 2026
The storm caused hazardous travel impacts from the Plains to the Northeast, as well as widespread power outages, and produced blizzard conditions on the Outer Banks, with New York City receiving more than 11 inches of snow.
—Brandi D. Addison, USA Today, 27 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 28 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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