Synonyms of pandemic

pandemic 1 of 2

noun

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

Related Words

• epidemic
• plague
• pestilence
• infection
• illness
• pest
• contagion
• malady
• ailment
• sickness
• blight
• murrain
• infirmity
• scourge
• affection
• curse
• affliction

pandemic

2 of 2

adjective

as in widespread

Related Words

• widespread
• pervasive
• prevalent
• general
• rife
• public
• prevailing
• universal
• overall
• unanimous
• common
• ruling
• popular
• contemporary
• current
• received
• majority
• present
• usual
• pop
• familiar
• dominant
• everyday
• predominant
• characteristic
• household
• communal
• typical
• well-known
• preponderant
• shared

Dissimilar Words

• unknown
• unusual
• special
• rare
• strange
• individual
• unique
• personal
• peculiar
• distinctive
• separate
• private
• idiosyncratic
• especial
• singular
• uncommon
• unpopular
• nonpublic

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of pandemic

Noun

The ecommerce upstart, which quickly outstripped legacy rivals like H&M and Zara in online apparel sales during the pandemic, saw its New York, then London, listing aspirations unravel amid mounting regulatory and political scrutiny. — Jasmin Malik Chua, Footwear News, 25 Aug. 2026

Healthcare staffing shortages came to light during the pandemic, but continue to pose a challenge years later. — Katy Golvala, Hartford Courant, 25 Aug. 2026

Adjective

Since the pandemic, traditional lecture attendance has cratered, but active learning has been shown to significantly improve both turnout and long-term retention. — Jason Corso, Time, 26 Aug. 2026

Which meant that masks were always going to be useless, as pre-pandemic planning research had already confirmed. — Ian Miller Outkick, FOXNews.com, 26 Aug. 2026