WIDESPREAD Synonyms: 28 Similar and Opposite Words

widespread

adjective

ˈwīd-ˈspred

Definition of widespread

as in extensive

having considerable extent a widespread area of drought

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

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 widespread Brighton have rebuffed widespread loan interest from Championship clubs after Cozier-Duberry helped Bolton Wanderers to promotion via the League One play-offs last season with nine goals and 13 assists in 37 games. — Andy Naylor, New York Times, 25 Aug. 2026 The goals, such as lower drug prices and nutrition classes for doctors, have widespread appeal, cutting across party lines and economic divisions. — Stephanie Armour, CBS News, 25 Aug. 2026 The Spanish-language film stars Oscar winner Javier Bardem opposite recent Pedro Almodóvar collaborator Victoria Luengo in performances that drew widespread acclaim in Cannes. — Andreas Wiseman, Deadline, 24 Aug. 2026 Given that Mitchell filed his lawsuit in Kentucky, the widespread hunch was that UK would be his choice. — Pj Green, Kansas City Star, 24 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for widespread

Recent Examples of Synonyms for widespread

Adjective

Police said the home was immediately secured as a crime scene and investigators began the extensive work of documenting the scene, collecting evidence, conducting interviews and pursuing leads.

— Stepheny Price, FOXNews.com, 25 Aug. 2026
Customers can upload their own photos, or choose artworks from an extensive online gallery before selecting all of the details, including size, material, matting, and glazing.

— Katie Schultz, Architectural Digest, 25 Aug. 2026

Definition of extensive

Adjective

Blakespear said the definition was broad enough to encompass a wide range of heavy industrial uses, including chemical, plastics and pesticide manufacturing and strip mining.

— Naomi Taxay, Sacbee.com, 29 Aug. 2026
The e-commerce giant is preparing to launch its Prime Air service in Tracy as part of a broader expansion effort that will bring delivery drones to 500 cities and towns by the end of the year.

— Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 29 Aug. 2026

Definition of broad

Adjective

The Iran war exposed just how much the world relied on a narrow 20-mile-wide waterway.

— Katie Silver, Fortune, 29 Aug. 2026
Not only do the gods have multiple heads and arms, but the gods themselves are multiple, appearing in different forms with an array of different names, and with a wide variety of stories told about them.

— Charles Preston, Encyclopedia Britannica, 28 Aug. 2026

Definition of wide

Adjective

At the start of the year, Iceland Foreign Minister Thorgerdur Gunnarsdottir said that deeper dialogue and collaboration with the EU would be a key factor in shoring up the country's interests.

— Sam Meredith, CNBC, 28 Aug. 2026
Thankfully, his reappearance in the show actually has a deeper purpose.

— Ben Rosenstock, Vulture, 28 Aug. 2026

Definition of deep

Browse Nearby Words

wide-ranging

widespread

widget

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Style

“Widespread.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/widespread. Accessed 31 Aug. 2026.

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Synonyms of widespread

adjective

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