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
Relevance
as in widespread
Related Words
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
Sam Raus, Oc Register, 13 July 2025
Because of the pandemic, younger demographics helped out during the 2020 election.
—Ashley Lopez, NPR, 1 July 2025
Scott M. Reid, Oc Register, 13 July 2025
That compares to a rate of 900,000 a year before the pandemic.
—Paul Davidson, USA Today, 13 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for pandemic
Noun
And in wake of pandemic era shifts toward remote and hybrid workplaces, the perpetual deliberation over choices in parenting, work arrangements and childcare continues for all American parents.
—Sam Raus, Oc Register, 13 July 2025
Because of the pandemic, younger demographics helped out during the 2020 election.
—Ashley Lopez, NPR, 1 July 2025
Adjective
When the Wisconsin administration decided in April 2020 not to honor an additional year of eligibility granted to athletes because of the COVID-19 pandemic, Monson signed with On Athletics.
—Scott M. Reid, Oc Register, 13 July 2025
That compares to a rate of 900,000 a year before the pandemic.
—Paul Davidson, USA Today, 13 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for pandemic
Recent Examples of Synonyms for pandemic
Noun
-
But in the wake of the AIDS epidemic, and the disappearance of many urban cruising grounds in response to health ordinances and gentrification, an in-person practice shifted online.—
Emily Witt,
New Yorker,
24 July 2025
-
The agency’s models find that there is a 95% chance that the epidemic is growing, which means more states could start to see increases in infections.—
Alice Park,
Time,
24 July 2025
Adjective
-
In addition to providing protection for individuals, the DHS website says that widespread vaccination means that diseases have less opportunity to spread.—
Andrew Montequin,
jsonline.com,
22 July 2025
-
The fact that this has occurred in tandem with the widespread use of things like social media or even video calls, things which outright force people to look at themselves for prolonged periods of time, is no coincidence.—
William Jones,
Freep.com,
22 July 2025
Adjective
-
Identify your most pervasive beliefs and question them; once self-aware, the shift becomes possible.—
Expert Panel®,
Forbes.com,
22 July 2025
-
This floods the novel with a pervasive ontological instability; at the same time, these ghostly presences become an organizing principle for the style and form of the book itself.—
Katie Kitamura,
Harpers Magazine,
16 July 2025
Adjective
-
The issue is prevalent in the US as well, with 60 million Americans experienced a mental illness in the past year, based on data from Mental Health America.—
Tracy Brower,
Forbes.com,
20 July 2025
-
Black cowboys have plied their trade since the beginning of the U.S. cattle industry and were especially prevalent during the great cattle drives north from Texas to Kansas in the post-Civil War era.—
Dan Kelly
July 19,
Kansas City Star,
19 July 2025
Adjective
-
Claire Wilkinson, the general counsel for the School District, showed board members the two AI policies.—
Edward McKinnon,
Arkansas Online,
25 July 2025
-
Teresa Moore, the board’s general counsel, said the state is misreading the funding law and should be looking at the original $42 million as an annual requirement, not a one-time expense.—
Rafael Olmeda,
Sun Sentinel,
25 July 2025
Adjective
-
And in places where wasting is widespread, other painful side effects are occurring: conflict is intensifying; poverty is deepening; public health systems are buckling under pressure; domestic violence is rife.—
David Miliband,
Time,
21 July 2025
-
Between chin-length bobs, baroque style accents and soft glam, mod hair and makeup trends were rife on Wednesday night at the 2025 Excellence in Sports Performance Yearly Awards in Los Angeles, where athletes, A-listers and artists alike gathered to honor this year’s recipients.—
Kaleigh Werner,
Footwear News,
17 July 2025
Adjective
-
Our end-to-end suite of applications and services enables business and public customers across 25 industries globally to operate profitably, adapt continuously, and make a difference.—
Forbes.com,
Forbes.com,
16 July 2025
-
While administration officials tout the bill as a tool to enhance public safety, immigration experts caution that the funding far exceeds what's needed to target serious criminal offenders.—
Amanda Castro,
MSNBC Newsweek,
15 July 2025
Cite this Entry
“Pandemic.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/pandemic. Accessed 29 Jul. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share