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
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
Karen Brewer Grossman, Southern Living, 28 Jan. 2026
Animation has been an increasingly wide open category with Flow sweeping last year.
—Jill Goldsmith, Deadline, 23 Jan. 2026
Tom Chivers, semafor.com, 9 Feb. 2026
Here are five takeaways from TIME’s sweeping interview with Anutin regarding his plans for the nation of 70 million.
—Charlie Campbell, Time, 9 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for sweeping
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Noun
Tips For Keeping Bathroom Floors Clean Longer Regular sweeping can help keep dirt, dust, and hair from building up on your bathroom floors between cleanings.
—Karen Brewer Grossman, Southern Living, 28 Jan. 2026
Animation has been an increasingly wide open category with Flow sweeping last year.
—Jill Goldsmith, Deadline, 23 Jan. 2026
Adjective
The 78-year-old British national is one of the highest-profile critics of Beijing’s changes to Hong Kong’s governance, notably a sweeping national security law imposed in 2020.
—Tom Chivers, semafor.com, 9 Feb. 2026
Here are five takeaways from TIME’s sweeping interview with Anutin regarding his plans for the nation of 70 million.
—Charlie Campbell, Time, 9 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for sweeping
Cite this Entry
“Sweeping.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/sweeping. Accessed 14 Feb. 2026.
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