pandemic 1 of 2

Definition of pandemicnext
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

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
Even before the pandemic, many in the real-estate world doubted that RFR could break even — let alone turn a profit — on the office tower. Kim Velsey, Curbed, 3 Feb. 2026 The law effectively eliminates flexible virtual days, which have been used since the COVID-19 pandemic. Isa Almeida, Oklahoman, 3 Feb. 2026
Adjective
Rising costs for shelters and expiring federal COVID-19 pandemic relief funds helped create a budget deficit despite Measure A, officials said. Andrew Khouri, Los Angeles Times, 4 Feb. 2026 The sharp and stressful spikes of the pandemic years may have faded, but the baseline tension hasn’t. Stefanie Groner, Glamour, 4 Feb. 2026 See All Example Sentences for pandemic
Recent Examples of Synonyms for pandemic
Noun
  • The desire for a cheap hobby, paired with the desire to escape from a loneliness epidemic that was exacerbated during the pandemic, has created a burgeoning trend of finding community at a gym or run club, where dropping tons of cash is optional.
    Sasha Rogelberg, Fortune, 6 Feb. 2026
  • The Somalis who have sought refuge in the United States have not escaped this epidemic of bad luck.
    Robert W. Laird, New York Daily News, 6 Feb. 2026
Adjective
  • Long before news broke of lawsuits alleging a widespread State Farm bad faith scheme to wrongly deny Oklahoma hail claims, Coppermark’s petition accused insurance companies and the insurance department of working in cahoots.
    J.C. Hallman, Oklahoman, 10 Feb. 2026
  • The surveys show widespread skepticism that governments can really fix problems like the affordability crisis, rising inequality, declining upward mobility, and stagnating or declining living standards.
    Brad Lendon, CNN Money, 10 Feb. 2026
Adjective
  • Conversely, if the spending is collapsing due to poor returns, the technology cannot be pervasive enough to threaten legacy software models.
    Nick Lichtenberg, Fortune, 4 Feb. 2026
  • History, spirituality, and the law collide as tribal repatriation specialists fight to return and rebury Indigenous human remains, offering a revealing look at the still-pervasive worldviews that justified collecting them in the first place.
    Chris Gardner, HollywoodReporter, 30 Jan. 2026
Adjective
  • As at-home entertaining becomes more prevalent than ever, designers say this popular kitchen addition will be everywhere this year.
    Patricia Shannon, Better Homes & Gardens, 7 Feb. 2026
  • This is so prevalent and excused at the top end of—at least part of—the conservative media sphere and the White House.
    David Remnick, New Yorker, 6 Feb. 2026
Adjective
  • Those stars with higher metal contents live longer and burn cooler in general, but only slightly, and in a way that’s much more impactful for higher mass stars than lower-mass stars.
    Big Think, Big Think, 6 Feb. 2026
  • Its focus soon shifted to ousting dictator Slobodan Milosevic, using mass demonstrations and a general strike across the provinces to make its point.
    Elizabeth Shackelford, Chicago Tribune, 6 Feb. 2026
Adjective
  • Jokes about the rising cost of living and the state of the economy are rife, with many internet users embracing gallows humor.
    Dani Di Placido, Forbes.com, 18 Jan. 2026
  • Speculation has since been rife about which of JPM’s executive team would step in to fill the significant shoes of Dimon.
    Eleanor Pringle, Fortune, 16 Jan. 2026
Adjective
  • AutoFlight has unveiled Matrix, a five-ton electric vertical takeoff and landing aircraft, and completed a public full-transition flight at its low-altitude test center.
    Aamir Khollam, Interesting Engineering, 6 Feb. 2026
  • Meanwhile, democratic socialist Rae Huang is running against the mayor from her political left on public safety, housing and other issues, appearing at one point with podcaster Hasan Piker.
    David Zahniser, Los Angeles Times, 6 Feb. 2026
Adjective
  • Harvesting seed nearby is a way to get plants that are genetically adapted to the prevailing environmental conditions and are more likely to thrive.
    Phil Diehl, San Diego Union-Tribune, 18 Jan. 2026
  • In the northern United States, enjoying the starry winter sky requires protection against the prevailing low temperatures.
    Joe Rao, Space.com, 16 Jan. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Pandemic.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/pandemic. Accessed 10 Feb. 2026.

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