Word Pronunciation & Dictionary

widespread

/ˌwaɪdˈspɹɛd/

Word Rarity Uncommon

Frequency: Zipf frequency 4.19 in modern English

Syllables: wide-spread
IPA: /ˌwaɪdˈspɹɛd/

17

Scrabble Score

10

Letters

2

Syllables

8

Unique Chars

Meaning

adj

Affecting, or found throughout, a large area (e.g. the entire land or body); broad in extent; widely diffused.

adj

Spread far apart.

Example Sentences

"widespread belief"
"widespread criticism"
"widespread acceptance"
"There was widespread support for the proposal."
"The storm caused widespread damage."
"It was April 22, 1831, and a young man was walking down Whitehall in the direction of Parliament Street. He wore shepherd's plaid trousers and the swallow-tail coat of the day, with a figured muslin cravat wound about his wide-spread collar."

Etymology

From wide + spread.

Inflected Forms

more widespread (comparative) widerspread (comparative, rare) most widespread (superlative) widestspread (rare, superlative) wide-spread (alternative)

Derived Forms

widespreadly widespreadness

Synonyms

extensive pervasive prevalent ubiquitous universal common disseminated far-flung predominant prevailing regnant rife

Antonyms

limited contained endemic few and far between focused rare uncommon

Rhymes With

said read head red instead lead dead led bed ahead spread ed

Questions

How do you pronounce widespread?: The recorded pronunciation is /ˌwaɪdˈspɹɛd/.
What does widespread mean?: Affecting, or found throughout, a large area (e.g. the entire land or body); broad in extent; widely diffused.
Where does widespread come from?: From wide + spread.

How to pronounce widespread

Open the pronunciation page — Open the Speakur entry for “widespread”.
Read the phonetic spelling — Read the IPA spelling (/ˌwaɪdˈspɹɛd/) so you know which sounds to aim for.
Play the audio — Click Play to hear reference audio for “widespread”.
Repeat and practice — Say “widespread” aloud, matching stress and vowels until it feels natural.