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
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as in widespread
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of pandemic
Stephanie Yang, CNN Money, 12 May 2026
The board's decision comes as school districts across the country grapple with declining enrollment and funding challenges in the wake of the pandemic.
—Zachary Bynum, CBS News, 12 May 2026
CBS News, 13 May 2026
Then, in 2022, with those practices firmly in place, the city's reading scores began to skyrocket, erasing pandemic-era losses and rising back around 2017 levels.
—Cory Turner, NPR, 13 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for pandemic
Noun
The term refers to a steepening deviation between upper and lower economic classes, popularized after the Covid-19 pandemic disproportionately hit underprivileged groups.
—Stephanie Yang, CNN Money, 12 May 2026
The board's decision comes as school districts across the country grapple with declining enrollment and funding challenges in the wake of the pandemic.
—Zachary Bynum, CBS News, 12 May 2026
Adjective
Louisiana is also the only state that beat its pre-pandemic average in reading, with 87% of traditional public school students attending a district where scores are higher than in 2019.
—CBS News, 13 May 2026
Then, in 2022, with those practices firmly in place, the city's reading scores began to skyrocket, erasing pandemic-era losses and rising back around 2017 levels.
—Cory Turner, NPR, 13 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for pandemic
Recent Examples of Synonyms for pandemic
Noun
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Initial tests suggested the outbreak may not involve the Ebola Zaire strain, which was responsible for Congo’s devastating 2018-2020 epidemic that killed more than 1,000 people.—
Jasmine Baehr,
FOXNews.com,
16 May 2026
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This reversible conductive glue offers a direct solution to the e-waste epidemic.—
Mrigakshi Dixit,
Interesting Engineering,
15 May 2026
Adjective
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While OpenAI was created as a nonprofit designed to responsibly harness the power of the emerging artificial intelligence technology, the company created a for-profit subsidiary in 2019 and three years later released ChatGPT, which jumpstarted widespread adoption of the technology.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
12 May 2026
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There was widespread fear of measles causing blindness, which had indeed happened to a young family acquaintance.—
Fran Moreland Johns,
The Atlantic,
11 May 2026
Adjective
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But there was pervasive uncertainty about whose land would be affected, and how.—
Rachel Monroe,
New Yorker,
14 May 2026
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This pervasive tendency to lean into the performance advantages of modern powertrains and driver aids is sending the wrong message, IIHS argues, which may actually contribute to aggressive driving and, ultimately, to more-frequent crashes and speeding infractions.—
Byron Hurd,
The Drive,
14 May 2026
Adjective
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The condition is not uncommon and somewhat prevalent in certain breeds like various Spaniels, certain Hounds, some Retrievers, and some giant dog breeds.—
Dr. John De Jong,
Boston Herald,
10 May 2026
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What they’re mixed on, however, is whether the substance is particularly overlooked or prevalent in Los Angeles.—
Karen Garcia,
Los Angeles Times,
9 May 2026
Adjective
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The Fields pairs highly adaptable facilities with expert, hands-on production support — a combination that general manager RoseMary Prodonovich says is designed to fuel creative endeavors.—
Kathy A. McDonald,
Variety,
15 May 2026
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Husband is a genuinely excellent partner and a kind, funny, good person in general.—
Carolyn Hax,
Washington Post,
15 May 2026
Adjective
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The camp was rife with illnesses, including cholera, and Ibrahim became severely sick.—
Annie Hylton,
New Yorker,
14 May 2026
-
Like so many historical myths, this swashbuckling tale of pirates, court accusations, and gossip, which frames the rags-to-riches emergence of this American family, is rife with historical fiction.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
14 May 2026
Adjective
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Glossip has received public support both nationally and internationally, including from celebrities like Kim Kardashian.—
Amanda Lee Myers,
USA Today,
15 May 2026
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Their last public appearance as a couple was in November at Italy’s Torino Film Festival, according to E!—
Brian Niemietz,
New York Daily News,
14 May 2026
Adjective
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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
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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
Cite this Entry
“Pandemic.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/pandemic. Accessed 18 May. 2026.
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