sweeping

1 of 2

noun

sweep·​ing ˈswē-piŋ 

1

: the act or action of one that sweeps

gave the room a good sweeping

2

sweepings plural : things collected by sweeping : refuse

sweeping

2 of 2

adjective

1

a

: moving or extending in a wide curve or over a wide area

b

: having a curving line or form

2

a

: extensive

sweeping reforms

b

: marked by wholesale and indiscriminate inclusion

sweeping generalities

sweepingly adverb

sweepingness noun

Synonyms

Adjective

• broad
• deep
• expansive
• extended
• extensive
• far-flung
• far-reaching
• rangy
• wide
• wide-ranging
• widespread

Examples of sweeping in a Sentence

Noun

The porch needs a good sweeping.

Adjective

a sweeping view of the valley

He dismissed the idea with a sweeping motion of his arm.

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

Street sweeping will run from Tuesday, April 1, through November. —Lauren Penington, Denver Post, 30 Mar. 2025

Tips To Keep Linoleum Floors Clean Longer Regular sweeping and mopping will help keep linoleum floors looking their best. —Daley Quinn, Southern Living, 28 Feb. 2025

Adjective

Since returning to the Oval Office, Trump and his administration have cut thousands of jobs across the federal government, enacted sweeping tariffs that led to an escalating trade war with China and launched a deportation program that has triggered bitter court battles. —Christopher Cann, USA Today, 2 May 2025

Tariffs are the story of this earnings season, as investors look for signs that President Donald Trump’s sweeping levies on imports are weighing on costs and consumer spending. —Samantha Subin, CNBC, 1 May 2025

Word History

First Known Use

Noun

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Adjective

1573, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Phrases Containing sweeping

• sweeping victory

Rhymes for sweeping

• beeping
• creeping
• heaping
• keeping
• leaping
• peeping
• reaping
• seeping
• sleeping
• steeping
• weeping
• beekeeping

Kids Definition

sweeping

1 of 2 noun

sweep·​ing

1

: the act or action of one that sweeps

2

plural : things collected by sweeping

sweeping

2 of 2 adjective

1

a

: moving or extending in a wide curve or over a wide area

b

: having a curving line or form

2

: broad sense 5

sweeping reforms

sweeping generalizations

sweepingly

ˈswē-piŋ-lē

adverb