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
That was one of the economic assistance programs available to businesses after the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic. Paula Wethington, CBS News, 14 Apr. 2026 The tentative deals don’t make any major changes to remote-work rules that were expanded in 2020 and 2021 during the coronavirus pandemic, despite a strong push for reform from Lamont. Keith M. Phaneuf, Hartford Courant, 14 Apr. 2026
Adjective
The pandemic special is not available online, but why not queue up this lyric video version for a pick-me-up? Jennifer Armstrong, IndieWire, 15 Apr. 2026 Besides providing basic security in buildings that can have hundreds of residents, doorpersons field package and food deliveries that have mushroomed since the COVID-19 pandemic and help people with strollers and walkers navigate lobby stairs. ABC News, 15 Apr. 2026 See All Example Sentences for pandemic
Recent Examples of Synonyms for pandemic
Noun
  • Leaving town is tantamount to doctors and nurses closing hospitals during an epidemic.
    Letters to the Editor, The Orlando Sentinel, 9 Apr. 2026
  • Private markets underinvest in epidemic preparedness because returns are uncertain and often realized collectively rather than individually.
    Guy Vernet, STAT, 9 Apr. 2026
Adjective
  • As usual, widespread and prolonged summer-like weather is very hard to come by this time of year around here.
    Terry Eliasen, CBS News, 14 Apr. 2026
  • Sunday's election took place as the country experiences a surge in violent crime and corruption, fueling widespread discontent among voters, who largely view candidates as dishonest and unprepared for the presidency.
    Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 13 Apr. 2026
Adjective
  • Cyber-physical systems going to become very pervasive The concept of cy-trust focuses on quantifying trust in a measurable way.
    Prabhat Ranjan Mishra, Interesting Engineering, 6 Apr. 2026
  • What might be less obvious is that the compositional structures of the 808 and its descendants are pervasive, too.
    Joshua Rothman, New Yorker, 3 Apr. 2026
Adjective
  • While vaginal yeast infections are the most prevalent, other types of yeast infections can develop in other warm, moist areas of the body, including in the mouth or under skin folds.
    Daryl Austin, USA Today, 12 Apr. 2026
  • That stress test has arrived just as private loans became more prevalent in the ETF market.
    Krysta Escobar, CNBC, 11 Apr. 2026
Adjective
  • So, in a general process of professionalization that changed the way that music was experienced, raising standards while widening the gap between expert and amateur, the mandolin fell out of fashion.
    Tim Parks, New Yorker, 11 Apr. 2026
  • Denise Lieberman, director and general counsel for the Missouri Voter Protection Coalition, an organization that champions accessible elections, said the signs serve no purpose, since they’re tied to eligibility, which would be vetted by election officials before a ballot is cast.
    Jack Harvel April 10, Kansas City Star, 10 Apr. 2026
Adjective
  • Back in 2020, expectations were rife that the office buildings JLL sources for companies around the world would stay vacant long after airlines were back to full passenger loads.
    Andrew Edgecliffe-Johnson, semafor.com, 3 Apr. 2026
  • 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
Adjective
  • Bronx Science is one of the highly competitive specialized New York City public high schools where access to a free, élite education rests on a single admissions test.
    Molly Fischer, New Yorker, 10 Apr. 2026
  • Taurus April 20 – May 20 This evening spotlights your public voice.
    Tarot.com, Sun Sentinel, 10 Apr. 2026
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

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“Pandemic.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/pandemic. Accessed 17 Apr. 2026.

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