as in broad
having considerable extent
calls for sweeping changes in the way the nation manages security in its major ports
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
as in flowing
to move or proceed smoothly and readily
the wind swept across the plain without respite
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in curving
to turn away from a straight line or course
from this point the mountain range sweeps to the northeast and extends into the next state
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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 sweeping
Walter Russell Mead, The Atlantic, 24 Jan. 2026
With a ruling looming but uncertain, Democratic members of Congress are reviving an effort to terminate the national emergency declared by Trump on April 2, 2025, which saw the president impose sweeping duties on dozens of American trade partners.
—Kate Nishimura, Sourcing Journal, 23 Jan. 2026
Kate Van Pelt, The Spruce, 7 Jan. 2026
The most famous of Vienna’s balls which sees an international audience sweeping across the dance floor of the State Opera, is the Opera Ball which in 2026 will take place on February 12, the final Thursday of the season.
—Cnt Editors, Condé Nast Traveler, 7 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for sweeping
Adjective
Legal challenges to constitutional doctrines underpinning the modern American administrative state wend their way through increasingly sympathetic courts, promising sweeping changes to the ways our most important institutions act.
—Walter Russell Mead, The Atlantic, 24 Jan. 2026
With a ruling looming but uncertain, Democratic members of Congress are reviving an effort to terminate the national emergency declared by Trump on April 2, 2025, which saw the president impose sweeping duties on dozens of American trade partners.
—Kate Nishimura, Sourcing Journal, 23 Jan. 2026
Verb
Then, finish your living room cleaning routine by vacuuming the carpet or sweeping the floors.
—Kate Van Pelt, The Spruce, 7 Jan. 2026
The most famous of Vienna’s balls which sees an international audience sweeping across the dance floor of the State Opera, is the Opera Ball which in 2026 will take place on February 12, the final Thursday of the season.
—Cnt Editors, Condé Nast Traveler, 7 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for sweeping
Recent Examples of Synonyms for sweeping
Adjective
-
The project also reflects Beijing’s broader effort to anchor long-term energy security with low-carbon baseload power.—
Aamir Khollam,
Interesting Engineering,
28 Jan. 2026
-
That last-minute development is reviving debate about the extent of state support for Vanke, one of the last major developers to have avoided an outright default after a broader property market slump sparked record debt failures in recent years.—
Bloomberg News,
Bloomberg,
28 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
The upstream piranhas attacked her, and her blood flowing downstream attracted the rest of the piranhas, leaving the creek clear for the herd to cross.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
27 Jan. 2026
-
Florio said that the key is to keep gas flowing into the furnace.—
John Shumway,
CBS News,
27 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
The ridges all lean the same way, slanting and curving in from the lower left of the frame, which ESA noted reflects the direction of the prevailing wind in this region.—
Kenna Hughes-Castleberry,
Space.com,
20 Jan. 2026
-
This results in plasma flows curving backward instead of expanding freely, and old plasma is pushed sideways, forming long, wispy tails.—
Christopher McFadden,
Interesting Engineering,
17 Jan. 2026
Adjective
-
Palisades Charter High School will return to its main seaside campus Tuesday morning, more than one year after the deadly Palisades fire destroyed nearly 40% of the school and forced students and faculty into temporary classrooms during extensive reconstruction and environmental remediation.—
Michelle Edgar,
Daily News,
24 Jan. 2026
-
The Nevada County Arts Council does an extensive survey to track the creative economy locally.—
Kayla Moeller,
CBS News,
23 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
To convey the spirit of the moment, John Edwards inverted the photograph, turning the reflection into an illusion where the sky above the Buddha becomes a tapestry of floating flowers and drifting plants.—
Cecilia Rodriguez,
Forbes.com,
26 Jan. 2026
-
Ice, blowing and drifting snow has created extremely hazardous road conditions.—
Cheryl Vari,
Cincinnati Enquirer,
26 Jan. 2026
Adjective
-
First found in the 1930s, this interpretation was later validated by a wide variety of laboratory experiments.—
Big Think,
Big Think,
30 Jan. 2026
-
Low-resolution Surveying involves gathering surface-level information about a wide variety of topics—knowing a little about a lot of stuff.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
29 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
Covering the early 20th century through the present, gliding back and forth between eras with the deftest touch, the film views the living as merely the latest iteration of a fragile species that has been constantly struggling against unseen forces that drag it down, generation after generation.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
23 Jan. 2026
-
Grab a crab cocktail, whirl around on the vintage carousel, or set sail on a scenic bay cruise beneath the Golden Gate Bridge, gliding past the city’s iconic skyline.—
Lewis Nunn,
Forbes.com,
22 Jan. 2026
Adjective
-
But economists appeared skeptical about the effectiveness of Beijing’s plans to boost services spending, cautioning that the plan’s success hinges on deeper reforms to raise household income and strengthen social welfare.—
Anniek Bao,
CNBC,
30 Jan. 2026
-
The influential investor has the respect of Wall Street and deep knowledge of complex financial markets.—
Matt Egan,
CNN Money,
30 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Sweeping.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/sweeping. Accessed 31 Jan. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
