What does "widespread" mean?

1. (common or extensive) existing or happening in many places and affecting many people. 2. (physically spread out) covering a very large physical area.

How do you use "widespread"?

Often used to describe abstract nouns like concern, belief, support, or poverty.

widespread

adj.

US //ˈwaɪdsˈpɹɛd// UK //wˈaɪdspɹɛd// wide·spread

1 common or extensive (adj.)
B2 Upper Intermediate Academic

existing or happening in many places and affecting many people.

distributed over a broad area or occurring extensively within a specific group or system.

Example

There is widespread concern about the new law among small business owners.

Example

Despite the implementation of new safety protocols, there remains widespread skepticism regarding the long-term efficacy of the proposed measures.

Usage

Often used to describe abstract nouns like concern, belief, support, or poverty.

Teacher's tip

This is a high-frequency word in academic and journalistic writing; it sounds more formal than saying 'many people think' or 'it is everywhere'.
2 physically spread out (adj.)
C1 Advanced Formal

covering a very large physical area.

extending over a wide geographical range or physical space.

Example

The storm caused widespread damage across the entire valley.

Example

The satellite imagery revealed widespread deforestation along the border, indicating a significant shift in local land-use patterns over the last decade.
- narrow
- concentrated

Origin

From wide + spread.