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

Related Words

Relevance

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
Abbott framed this move in the context of the supply chain shocks during the Covid-19 pandemic that revealed how much the United States relies on imports for basic medical supplies. Harrison Mantas, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 24 Mar. 2026 Non-media revenues have been growing at a 22% CAGR since the pandemic, though from a low base. Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 24 Mar. 2026
Adjective
During the pandemic, car production slowed due to factory closures and supply chain disruptions, though people kept buying vehicles. Rachel Barber, USA Today, 25 Mar. 2026 During the pandemic, more than 93,000 people in Florida died from COVID. Cindy Krischer Goodman, Sun Sentinel, 25 Mar. 2026 See All Example Sentences for pandemic
Recent Examples of Synonyms for pandemic
Noun
  • But this psychogenic epidemic is real and unprecedented.
    CBS News, CBS News, 20 Mar. 2026
  • Not because there’s an epidemic of gambling addiction in the student body — but because sports already play an outsize role at the school and, by extension, so does gambling.
    Suzy Khimm, NBC news, 19 Mar. 2026
Adjective
  • The incident occurred just before midnight on Sunday, prompting authorities to suspend all incoming and outgoing flights and warn travelers of widespread disruptions.
    Sujita Sinha, Interesting Engineering, 23 Mar. 2026
  • But at Ramey — an Air Force base that was closed 50 years ago but reopened in August, and where Maduro was reportedly transferred from special forces aircraft to the USS Iwo Jima — blackouts are becoming longer and more widespread.
    Tim McDonnell, semafor.com, 23 Mar. 2026
Adjective
  • Witches have been pervasive in movie history from the very beginning.
    Zach Dennis, Charlotte Observer, 26 Mar. 2026
  • Several legislators declined to take an official stance and critics of the proposal say that the telework bill is a manifestation of labor’s pervasive influence in the Capitol.
    William Melhado, Sacbee.com, 25 Mar. 2026
Adjective
  • In-game interviews in which managers or mic’d-up players say nothing of interest are also becoming more prevalent.
    Paul Sullivan, Chicago Tribune, 22 Mar. 2026
  • There’s a prevalent trend in contemporary documentary filmmaking where directors are looking inwards towards their own lives and experiences.
    Murtada Elfadl, Variety, 20 Mar. 2026
Adjective
  • Construction is expected to begin in March 2027, with the opening planned for fall 2028, the owner and general contractor told Community Impact.
    Julianna Duennes Russ, Austin American Statesman, 21 Mar. 2026
  • The trefoil disappeared from football kits in the early 1990s, Adidas’s logo shifting to the slanted three stripes that was presumably more consistent with their general aesthetic.
    Nick Miller, New York Times, 20 Mar. 2026
Adjective
  • However, the awards are co-organised by Tokyo International Film Festival, and speculation has been rife that there were concerns about the optics had the ceremony taken place, as Japanese cinema has had a strong year and was likely to walk off with multiple prizes.
    Liz Shackleton, Deadline, 11 Mar. 2026
  • Speculation has been rife that HTC isn’t in fact manufacturing the phones internally, but had commissioned an ODM — original design manufacturer — to produce the hardware.
    Dominic Preston, The Verge, 27 Feb. 2026
Adjective
  • The National Center for Missing & Exploited Children shares the story of a woman in the community who called for a public Emergency Alert System.
    CBS Texas Staff, CBS News, 27 Mar. 2026
  • Navarro, who had served on the board since 2015 and was briefly elected vice chair shortly before her resignation, was ultimately charged with multiple counts related to fraud and misuse of public funds.
    Milena Malaver, Miami Herald, 26 Mar. 2026
Adjective
  • 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
  • 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

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Pandemic.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/pandemic. Accessed 28 Mar. 2026.

More from Merriam-Webster on pandemic

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster