# wide-spread

**Pronunciation:** WIDE-SPREAD

**CEFR level:** B2

**Part of speech:** adjective

## Meaning

Wide-spread means affecting a large area (e.g. the entire land or body); broad in extent; widely diffused.

## Examples

- The writer described the response as wide-spread.
- A wide-spread tone can change the mood of a conversation.
- The situation became wide-spread after the announcement.

## Synonyms

- extensive — Dictionary-listed nearby meaning; check context before substituting.
- pervasive — Dictionary-listed nearby meaning; check context before substituting.
- prevalent — Dictionary-listed nearby meaning; check context before substituting.
- ubiquitous — Dictionary-listed nearby meaning; check context before substituting.
- universal — Dictionary-listed nearby meaning; check context before substituting.

## Antonyms

- limited — Opposite listed by the lexical source.

## Common patterns

- wide-spread + noun — Use wide-spread before a noun to describe that quality. — The writer described a wide-spread reaction.
- become wide-spread — Use after become, seem, or be for a state or quality. — The discussion became wide-spread near the end.

## Collocations

- wide-spread behavior — The teacher calmly handled the wide-spread behavior.
- wide-spread tone — The email had an wide-spread tone.

Canonical URL: https://anaversity.com/dictionary/english/wide-spread

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