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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pandemic

2 of 2

adjective

as in widespread

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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

The movie houses closed at the onset of the pandemic in 2020. — Gary Baum, HollywoodReporter, 21 July 2026 That law sent nearly $2 trillion to communities to help recover from the COVID-19 pandemic. — Alfredo Reyes Jr, Mercury News, 21 July 2026

Adjective

The median listing price for a home remains 34% above pre-pandemic levels, meaning that the math for independent living just doesn’t work for these young people. — Lew Sichelman, Miami Herald, 22 July 2026 Commercial occupancy levels in the city, along with retail spending and public transit usage, have gradually been returning to near pre-Covid levels after several difficult years due to the pandemic and other factors. — Dade Hayes, Deadline, 22 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for pandemic

Recent Examples of Synonyms for pandemic

Noun

The 45th anniversary of the HIV/AIDS pandemic shouldn't simply prompt us to remember the epidemic.

— Jallicia Jolly, Forbes.com, 26 July 2026
Here in Florida, drowning is an unrelenting and escalating epidemic, with the state seeing a record 120 child drownings in 2025, according to the Florida Department of Children and Families (DCF).

— Karen Cohn, The Orlando Sentinel, 25 July 2026

Definition of epidemic

Adjective

New Zealand’s biosecurity minister has warned that the country will follow a similar path, should a widespread outbreak occur.

— Todd Symons, CNN Money, 22 July 2026
Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s move followed widespread protests triggered by the removal of the country’s popular, young defense minister, who spearheaded an embrace of technology in the war against Russia, helping shift the tide in Kyiv’s favor.

— J.D. Capelouto, semafor.com, 21 July 2026

Definition of widespread

Adjective

While cloud gaming has been around since the 2000s, services have become more prevalent in recent years and companies such as Amazon, who are better placed than many due to its AWS and large scale subscription businesses, have entered the market.

— Alex Weprin, HollywoodReporter, 23 July 2026
As for what’s next, McChord believes bio-tracking is only going to become more prevalent.

— Alexandra York, Forbes.com, 20 July 2026

Definition of prevalent

Adjective

With Robertson in the lineup heading into training camp, general manager Jim Nill now has some options.

— Julian McKenzie, New York Times, 22 July 2026
With multiple companies able to utilize general intelligence similarly, what will differentiate your firm from another will be the ability of your model to understand the work that needs to be done.

— TerDawn DeBoe, Forbes.com, 22 July 2026

Definition of general

Adjective

Speculation was rife; one unproven theory was that someone had heated the sensor with a hairdryer.

— Laura Paddison, CNN Money, 17 July 2026
The returnees have strained local communities, many of which already have scant resources in a country where poverty is rife and malnutrition stalks the most vulnerable.

— ABC News, ABC News, 8 July 2026

Definition of rife

Adjective

In recent months, with his cancer diagnosis now public, his attitude had softened and the prospect of him coming back to the stadium was dangling.

— George Caulkin, New York Times, 21 July 2026
End Wokeness posted a similar critique, arguing the footage conflicted with Hostin's previous public comments about equal treatment under the law.

— Stepheny Price, FOXNews.com, 21 July 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

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“Pandemic.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/pandemic. Accessed 27 Jul. 2026.

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Synonyms of pandemic

noun

adjective

Example Sentences

Browse Nearby Words

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Year 2020

A Guide to Coronavirus-Related Words

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

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