as in universally
across a large area, group, or range
Originally invented in the United States, baseball is now a widely played sport around the world.
Related Words
Relevance
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 widely
Trump has been willing to use force more widely, in Syria, during the war in Iran, briefly.
—
Philip Elliott, Time, 10 Jan. 2026
For decades, the Baltimore Ravens were widely recognized as a class National Football League team, the kind of organization players would welcome the opportunity to play for.
—Reader Commentary, Baltimore Sun, 10 Jan. 2026
The Chronology of Water will be widely released in January.
—Ingrid Vasquez, PEOPLE, 10 Jan. 2026
Credit card interest rates vary widely depending on the unique risk profile of each cardholder.
—Preston Fore, Fortune, 10 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for widely
Philip Elliott, Time, 10 Jan. 2026
For decades, the Baltimore Ravens were widely recognized as a class National Football League team, the kind of organization players would welcome the opportunity to play for.
—Reader Commentary, Baltimore Sun, 10 Jan. 2026
The Chronology of Water will be widely released in January.
—Ingrid Vasquez, PEOPLE, 10 Jan. 2026
Credit card interest rates vary widely depending on the unique risk profile of each cardholder.
—Preston Fore, Fortune, 10 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for widely
Recent Examples of Synonyms for widely
Adverb
-
The vaccines no longer universally recommended for children include those for hepatitis A, rotavirus, and the flu.—
Tom Bartlett,
The Atlantic,
7 Jan. 2026
-
Federal and private insurance will still cover the cost of vaccines for the diseases the CDC no longer recommends universally, according to a Department of Health and Human Services fact sheet.—
Paula Wethington,
CBS News,
7 Jan. 2026
Adverb
-
Block said these cases could have far-reaching consequences on trans rights more broadly.—
Becca Savransky,
Idaho Statesman,
10 Jan. 2026
-
Meanwhile, Asian defense stocks broadly climbed.—
Yeo Boon Ping,
CNBC,
9 Jan. 2026
Adverb
-
To embody the Like a Rolling Stone singer, the actor trained extensively, including five years of preparation, to learn to sing as well as play guitar and harmonica, and to work with dialect and movement coaches to make his performance feel authentic.—
Lexi Carson,
HollywoodReporter,
7 Nov. 2025
-
Joy Buolamwini, a computer scientist at MIT Media Lab, has written extensively on the dangers of inaccurate and racially biased facial recognition systems.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
5 Nov. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Widely.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/widely. Accessed 12 Jan. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share