PANDEMIC Synonyms: 66 Similar and Opposite Words

pandemic 1 of 2

noun

Definition of pandemic

as in epidemic

medical an occurrence in which a disease spreads very quickly and affects a large number of people over a wide area or throughout the world The 1918 flu pandemic claimed millions of lives. the AIDS pandemic

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Relevance

pandemic

2 of 2

adjective

as in widespread

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Dissimilar Words

Example Sentences

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.

Recent Examples of pandemic

Noun

While the state average of 23% remains higher than before the pandemic, CPS high school students who missed 10% or more of the school year are, in most cases, more than double that. — Robert McCoppin, Chicago Tribune, 30 Oct. 2026 For example, healthcare teams with stronger psychological safety before the pandemic carried lower burnout and turnover intent through it, even as resources thinned. — Annette Logan-Parker, Forbes.com, 30 Oct. 2026

Adjective

In 1832, when a cholera pandemic reached New York City, clergy called for a national day of fasting and prayer. — Jim Downs, STAT, 30 Oct. 2026 When the company shifted to fully remote work during the pandemic, leaders saw a 37% increase in productivity based on key metrics, including course development, product development and sales. — Adithyan Rk, Forbes.com, 30 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for pandemic

Recent Examples of Synonyms for pandemic

Noun

The very act of counting, which might seem obvious or like a natural response to an epidemic, was part of a broader movement that eventually provided a framework for public health.

— Jim Downs, STAT, 30 Oct. 2026
Murray Woodard, the director for Jackson County’s COMBAT program, said in an editorial for The Star that the public safety effort began to fight substance use and violence stemming from the 1980s drug epidemic.

— Dylan Lysen, Kansas City Star, 28 Oct. 2026

Definition of epidemic

Adjective

Prosecutors charge that widespread noncitizen voting disenfranchises Americans by diluting their lawful votes.

— Sonja Sharp, Los Angeles Times, 31 Oct. 2026
Cárdenas played a pivotal role in Mexico's democratization, beginning with his first presidential bid in 1988, which ended in a defeat widely regarded as the result of widespread electoral fraud.

— Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 30 Oct. 2026

Definition of widespread

Adjective

Kim presides over a system increasingly marked by doubt, suspicion, and pervasive anxiety.

— Jieun Baek, Foreign Affairs, 30 Oct. 2026
Like the other unions, SCF has also argued there are pervasive issues with long working hours and inadequate staffing at train station control centers.

— Vasco Cotovio, CNN Money, 29 Oct. 2026

Definition of pervasive

Adjective

While companies like Target have eliminated PP from their denim production, the chemical is still prevalent across the industry.

— Angela Velasquez, Footwear News, 2 Nov. 2026
Extreme heat exacerbates underlying health conditions that tend to be more prevalent in communities of color where rates of chronic respiratory and cardiovascular disease are higher than the Chicago average, according to city data.

— Adriana Pérez, Chicago Tribune, 1 Nov. 2026

Definition of prevalent

Adjective

Accessibility All public areas, including the main entrance, pool area, spa, fitness center, restaurants, and meeting spaces have accessible routes.

— Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 7 Nov. 2026
OpenAI competitor Anthropic, which is planning to go public this month, highlighted the issue in its prospectus, even though the Claude creator prohibits children from using its product.

— Jonathan Vanian, CNBC, 7 Nov. 2026

Definition of public

Adjective

The group noted the projection was revised upward from an earlier estimate owing to an additional year in the budget window and higher prevailing interest rates.

— Nick Lichtenberg, Fortune, 2 Apr. 2026
Likewise, prevailing concepts of Hamlet at the time cast the prince as a wan and melancholic, leading critics to bristle at Bernhardt’s energy.

— Betsy Golden Kellem, JSTOR Daily, 18 Mar. 2026

Definition of prevailing

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pandemic

pandemics

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Style

“Pandemic.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/pandemic. Accessed 7 Nov. 2026.

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Synonyms of pandemic

noun

adjective

Example Sentences

Browse Nearby Words

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A Guide to Coronavirus-Related Words

'Pandemic' vs. 'Epidemic' vs. 'Endemic'

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