as in epidemic
medical
an occurrence in which a disease spreads very quickly and affects a large number of people over a wide area or throughout the world
The 1918 flu pandemic claimed millions of lives. the AIDS pandemic
Related Words
Relevance
as in widespread
Related Words
Dissimilar Words
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of pandemic
Literary Hub, 10 Feb. 2026
In 2024, the most recent year for which data is available, overdose deaths dropped to 945, the lowest number since before the COVID-19 pandemic.
—Alex Riggins, San Diego Union-Tribune, 10 Feb. 2026
Phillip Valys, Sun Sentinel, 11 Feb. 2026
At the same time, the report showed weaker hiring in 2025, with major revisions that reduced the number of jobs created last year to just 181,000, the lowest since the pandemic year of 2020.
—Mary Cunningham, CBS News, 11 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for pandemic
Noun
Three women in the United States are killed by their intimate partners every single day, and numbers grew exponentially during the pandemic.
—Literary Hub, 10 Feb. 2026
In 2024, the most recent year for which data is available, overdose deaths dropped to 945, the lowest number since before the COVID-19 pandemic.
—Alex Riggins, San Diego Union-Tribune, 10 Feb. 2026
Adjective
Before that, delivery robots first rolled out into tech hubs like Silicon Valley and San Francisco post-pandemic before making their debut in downtown Miami and South Beach, Bilgihan says.
—Phillip Valys, Sun Sentinel, 11 Feb. 2026
At the same time, the report showed weaker hiring in 2025, with major revisions that reduced the number of jobs created last year to just 181,000, the lowest since the pandemic year of 2020.
—Mary Cunningham, CBS News, 11 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for pandemic
Recent Examples of Synonyms for pandemic
Noun
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As a small rural settlement is swiftly and ruthlessly stripped bare by the twin plagues of a diphtheria epidemic and spreading wildfires, the film eventually descends into a near-literal hellscape, though even when pandemonium takes over on screen, Van Dusen’s formal control never wavers.—
Guy Lodge,
Variety,
13 Feb. 2026
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Duffy cast the backlash as a relic of the crack cocaine epidemic, during which smoking was the main route of administration.—
Lev Facher,
STAT,
12 Feb. 2026
Adjective
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Long before news broke of lawsuits alleging a widespread State Farm bad faith scheme to wrongly deny Oklahoma hail claims, Coppermark’s petition accused insurance companies and the insurance department of working in cahoots.—
J.C. Hallman,
Oklahoman,
10 Feb. 2026
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The surveys show widespread skepticism that governments can really fix problems like the affordability crisis, rising inequality, declining upward mobility, and stagnating or declining living standards.—
Brad Lendon,
CNN Money,
10 Feb. 2026
Adjective
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Conversely, if the spending is collapsing due to poor returns, the technology cannot be pervasive enough to threaten legacy software models.—
Nick Lichtenberg,
Fortune,
4 Feb. 2026
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History, spirituality, and the law collide as tribal repatriation specialists fight to return and rebury Indigenous human remains, offering a revealing look at the still-pervasive worldviews that justified collecting them in the first place.—
Chris Gardner,
HollywoodReporter,
30 Jan. 2026
Adjective
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As at-home entertaining becomes more prevalent than ever, designers say this popular kitchen addition will be everywhere this year.—
Patricia Shannon,
Better Homes & Gardens,
7 Feb. 2026
-
This is so prevalent and excused at the top end of—at least part of—the conservative media sphere and the White House.—
David Remnick,
New Yorker,
6 Feb. 2026
Adjective
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Though framed as a request for information, Levine’s letter signals that Florida’s campaign against accrediting bodies — once focused on general university oversight — is expanding into medicine, one of the most tightly regulated sectors of higher education.—
Garrett Shanley,
Miami Herald,
13 Feb. 2026
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The second would be how friendly people are along King Drive in general.—
Kynala Phillips,
jsonline.com,
13 Feb. 2026
Adjective
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Jokes about the rising cost of living and the state of the economy are rife, with many internet users embracing gallows humor.—
Dani Di Placido,
Forbes.com,
18 Jan. 2026
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Speculation has since been rife about which of JPM’s executive team would step in to fill the significant shoes of Dimon.—
Eleanor Pringle,
Fortune,
16 Jan. 2026
Adjective
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AutoFlight has unveiled Matrix, a five-ton electric vertical takeoff and landing aircraft, and completed a public full-transition flight at its low-altitude test center.—
Aamir Khollam,
Interesting Engineering,
6 Feb. 2026
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Meanwhile, democratic socialist Rae Huang is running against the mayor from her political left on public safety, housing and other issues, appearing at one point with podcaster Hasan Piker.—
David Zahniser,
Los Angeles Times,
6 Feb. 2026
Adjective
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Harvesting seed nearby is a way to get plants that are genetically adapted to the prevailing environmental conditions and are more likely to thrive.—
Phil Diehl,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
18 Jan. 2026
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In the northern United States, enjoying the starry winter sky requires protection against the prevailing low temperatures.—
Joe Rao,
Space.com,
16 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Pandemic.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/pandemic. Accessed 15 Feb. 2026.
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