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.
Hanging over the case was the question of why an agent widely regarded as incompetent was allowed to keep his job. Christopher Goffard, Los Angeles Times, 23 Apr. 2025 Of course, this proved to be a significant misjudgment, which also applies to the Raiders’ selection of LSU quarterback JaMarcus Russell with the first overall pick in the 2007 draft, widely considered as one of the most disappointing draft choices. Mark Lasota, Forbes.com, 23 Apr. 2025 Riddle, widely considered one of the greatest arrangers in American music, was a favorite not only of Sinatra but also Ella Fitzgerald, Nat King Cole, Rosemary Clooney and other top singers of the 1950s and ’60s. Jon Burlingame, Variety, 23 Apr. 2025 Graham is widely considered to be a top-10 pick, and the Browns could be tempted by his talent. Ross Rosenfeld, MSNBC Newsweek, 23 Apr. 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

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Cite this Entry

“Widely.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/widely. Accessed 2 May. 2025.

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