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 The National Weather Service office in Oxnard said there’s a low chance of widespread moderate-to-heavy rain with flooding. — Los Angeles Times, 1 Sep. 2026 These spacecraft — which are named after a widespread genus of owl — use synthetic aperture radar (SAR) to study our planet both day and night, and in all weather conditions. — Mike Wall, Space.com, 31 Aug. 2026 Technologies that were once considered niche are now established industrial tools, and the expertise required to combine them is becoming more widespread. — Alice Tonello, Footwear News, 31 Aug. 2026 But this year’s El Niño has made wind shear unusually strong and widespread in the tropical Atlantic and Caribbean. — Chris Dolce, CNN Money, 31 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for widespread

Recent Examples of Synonyms for widespread

Adjective

Chinese state media, including the Communist Party's flagship newspaper, People's Daily, gave extensive coverage to Xi's encounters with other visiting leaders on Tuesday, but made no mention of the meeting with Pezeshkian.

— Anniek Bao, CNBC, 2 Sep. 2026
Neal's research includes extensive work on female astronauts.

— Elizabeth Howell, Space.com, 1 Sep. 2026

Definition of extensive

Adjective

Sunderland, of course, spent heavily last season after coming up from the Championship, and there is a broad consensus that promoted teams need to do so to quickly bring their squads up to scratch.

— Chris Waugh, New York Times, 6 Sep. 2026
The approach fits the US military’s broader effort to increase the availability of hypersonic flight-test infrastructure.

— Bojan Stojkovski, Interesting Engineering, 6 Sep. 2026

Definition of broad

Adjective

The project aims to safely integrate Advanced Air Mobility aircraft into US airspace, using operational data to shape aviation policy and support wider commercialization.

— Jijo Malayil, Interesting Engineering, 4 Sep. 2026
Beyond powering vehicles, the wider machinic complex also depended on fossil fuels.

— Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 4 Sep. 2026

Definition of wide

Adjective

But even with its new foundation and sweeping ceiling, the history of the old, deteriorating barn won’t be lost.

— Jenna Ebbers, Kansas City Star, 4 Sep. 2026
New York City just instituted a sweeping ban on schools using AI in the classroom through the start of high school, along with other restrictions on the technology.

— Frank Landymore, Futurism, 3 Sep. 2026

Definition of sweeping

Adjective

Core aerators remove plugs about 2 to 4 inches deep and around 1/2-inch wide, and spaced about 2 to 6 inches apart, dropping them on the lawn surface.

— Mary Marlowe Leverette, The Spruce, 4 Sep. 2026
Lovano expressed deep gratitude to Collins for steering the festival for many years and keeping the atmosphere alive.

— Duante Beddingfield, Freep.com, 3 Sep. 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 9 Sep. 2026.

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Synonyms of widespread

adjective

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