widely

adverb

wide·​ly ˈwīd-lē How to pronounce widely (audio)
1
: over or through a wide area
has traveled widely
2
: to a great extent
departed widely from the previous edition
3
: by or among a large well-dispersed group of people
a widely known political figure
4
: over a broad range
persons with widely fluctuating incomesCurrent Biography

Examples of widely in a Sentence

Their products are widely available. a widely known political figure The books are widely read by adults as well as children.
Recent Examples on the Web
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.
Michael Jordan, widely reputed as a basketball legend, has become increasingly recognized beyond the hardwood, as his name becomes iconic in the NASCAR world as a co-owner of the 23XI Racing team. Dan Perry, Newsweek, 5 Jan. 2025 The subsidies have contributed to record enrollment in individual coverage, which is also more widely available as health insurance companies have pushed into more markets, including Republican-leaning states that have long opposed expanding Medicaid for poor Americans. Bruce Japsen, Forbes, 5 Jan. 2025 The Biden administration is taking new steps to fight bird flu, directing hundreds of millions of dollars towards battling the virus that has spread widely in livestock and infected dozens of farm workers. ABC News, 5 Jan. 2025 Williams found time to read widely in prison — natural history books, Bertrand Russell, Cormac McCarthy. Joshua Kaplan, ProPublica, 4 Jan. 2025 See all Example Sentences for widely 

Word History

First Known Use

1579, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of widely was in 1579

Dictionary Entries Near widely

Cite this Entry

“Widely.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/widely. Accessed 14 Jan. 2025.

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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