widespread

Name: widespread, English Word Data
Creator: Wiktionary
License: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/

/ˌwaɪdˈspɹɛd/

//ˌwaɪdˈspɹɛd// adj

By PlainSpell Editorial Team · According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA) · analyzed May 6, 2026

The verdict

“widespread” is a regularly-used English word, ranked #5,283 in English word frequency and used as an adjective.

#5,283
frequency rank, English: 10
letters: 15
tracked misspellings

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - Affecting, or found throughout, a large area (e.g. the entire land or body); broad in extent; widely diffused.

Key facts for widespread
Property	Value
Headword	widespread
Language	English
Part of speech	Adjective
IPA	/ˌwaɪdˈspɹɛd/
Letters	10
Frequency rank	#5,283
Misspellings tracked	15
Confusable pairs	0
Source	Wiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “widespread” sits in English frequency

Every-word frequency runs from the handful of words we use constantly (left) to the long tail used once in a blue moon (right). widespread lands here:

#5,283

#1#100#1K#10K#100K

← used constantlyrarely used →

Scale is logarithmic (each tick is 10× rarer). Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

Spelling & Dictionary Insight

The English entry for widespread is 10 letters long, classified as an adjective, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as /ˌwaɪdˈspɹɛd/. Corpus data places it at rank #5,283 in overall English word frequency, indicating it appears regularly in written and spoken text. Wiktionary records 2 distinct senses for this headword, so context determines which meaning a reader should apply.

Our generated misspelling index lists 15 likely wrong-spelling variants for widespread, with forms such as "iwdespread", "wdiespread", and "widdespread". Every one of these variants traces to a single-character edit -- an added or dropped letter, a swapped consonant, or a vowel swap -- the kind of slip a spell-checker is built to catch. No confusable counterpart is on file for this word, since no other headword is close enough in sound or shape to pair with it.

Etymologically, the entry records: From wide + spread. The correct English form is widespread, spelled W-I-D-E-S-P-R-E-A-D.

Definition

1
Affecting, or found throughout, a large area (e.g. the entire land or body); broad in extent; widely diffused.
2
Spread far apart.

Etymology

From wide + spread.

Synonyms

extensive pervasive prevalent ubiquitous universal commondisseminatedfar-flung predominant prevailing regnant rife spread out systemic widespread

Antonyms

limited contained endemic few and far between focused rare uncommon

This word in other languages

amplio(Español)répandu(Français)weitläufig(Deutsch)difuso(Português)

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as: iwdespread,wdiespread,widdespread,widepsread,widesperad,widesppread,widespraed,widespreadd,widespreda,widesprread,widesrpead,widesspread,widsepread,wiedspread,wwidespread

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

How far each generated variant is from the correct spelling of widespread - measured in single-character edits (insert, delete, or substitute a letter). Larger bars are easier to catch; one-edit slips are the sneakiest.

Edit distance from "widespread"

Definitions, pronunciation, and etymology for this entry are drawn from Wiktionary via the kaikki.org structured extract (CC BY-SA); frequency ordering uses the FrequencyWords open word-frequency list (2018 English corpus, MIT). See the methodology for how each field is sourced and updated.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you spell "widespread"?

"widespread" is spelled W-I-D-E-S-P-R-E-A-D. The IPA pronunciation is /ˌwaɪdˈspɹɛd/.

What does "widespread" mean?

As an adjective, "widespread" means: Affecting, or found throughout, a large area (e.g. the entire land or body); broad in extent; widely diffused.

What are common misspellings of "widespread"?

Common misspellings include "iwdespread", "wdiespread", "widdespread", "widepsread", "widesperad". The correct spelling is "widespread".

How do you pronounce "widespread"?

The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "widespread" is /ˌwaɪdˈspɹɛd/. Click the speaker icon on the pronunciation badge above to hear it spoken aloud where audio is available.

What is the origin of the word "widespread"?

From wide + spread. See the full etymology section above for more details.

Is PlainSpell free to use?

Yes, PlainSpell is a completely free word reference. You can look up definitions, pronunciations, confusable pairs, homophones, and spelling corrections across 5 languages without any sign-up or subscription.

Using “widespread”

The practical upshot for anyone who landed here from a spell-check.

The one correct English spelling is W-I-D-E-S-P-R-E-A-D - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
Say it as /ˌwaɪdˈspɹɛd/ (IPA); tap the speaker on the pronunciation badge to hear it where audio exists.
Browse more English words and confusable pairs in the same reference. English words

Data Source

Wiktionary (via kaikki.org), licensed under CC BY-SA & GFDL. Word ordering uses an open word-frequency list; misspelling variants are generated by edit-distance from the correct headword.