What does "coverage" mean?
An amount by which something or someone is covered.
Coverage
/ˈkʌv.(ə.)ɹɪdʒ/ noun
noun ·Moderate ·High school level
Meaning at a glance
- Primary sense: An amount by which something or someone is covered.
- Grammar: coverage is listed as noun.
- Nearest alternatives: reporting, admissibility, admission, amplitude.
- Useful contrasts: exclusion, exposure, gap.
- Usage evidence: Much of the riots' coverage was taken from the cell phones of passersby, saving local news outlets valuable film which they would later use for banal "human" "interest" "stories."
How to use "coverage"
- Start with the primary definition, then check the part of speech before placing the word in a sentence.
- Compare nearby synonyms to make sure "coverage" carries the exact meaning, tone, and strength you need.
- Use the example sentence as a context check. If your sentence uses the word differently, confirm that the grammar still fits.
Meaning check
- Does the word fit the sentence's grammar?
- Does it match the intended tone rather than only the dictionary definition?
- Would a simpler synonym be clearer for the reader?
- Is there enough surrounding context to prevent ambiguity?
Source and review context
This entry combines structured lexical data with WordToolSet review checks. Definitions, examples, synonyms, and usage notes may come from different source tables, so the page is designed to show evidence from more than one angle before you rely on "coverage" in a final draft.
If a word has several senses, prefer the sense that matches your sentence's grammar and surrounding context. A correct definition can still be the wrong choice when the sentence needs a different register, emphasis, or level of specificity.
Before you rely on this definition
Read the first definition as a starting point, then check the example, synonyms, and part of speech before treating "coverage" as the right word for your sentence.
If your draft is formal, technical, persuasive, or sensitive, compare "coverage" with a nearby alternative so the final choice matches both meaning and reader expectation.
Compare nearby meanings
- Use synonyms when you need a softer, stronger, simpler, or more specific word.
- Use antonyms to check the boundary of the meaning and avoid accidental contrast.
- Use the example sentence to confirm the word behaves naturally in context.
- Keep the original wording when a replacement adds complexity without improving precision.
Definition decision workflow
1. Identify the role
Check whether "coverage" is acting as noun in your sentence. A definition is only useful when the grammar matches the way the word is being used.
2. Test the nearest option
Compare it with "reporting" and other nearby choices to see whether the sentence needs a softer, stronger, or more familiar word.
3. Confirm with context
Use the example sentence below as an evidence check, then read your own sentence out loud to catch tone or rhythm problems.
Review note: Definition pages are checked for source coverage, sentence evidence, synonym support, and editorial insight before they are treated as approval-ready pages. If the evidence is too thin, the page remains available to users but is kept out of the approval-facing indexed inventory.
Final meaning check
Before publishing a sentence with "coverage", ask whether the word helps the reader understand the idea faster. A precise word should reduce confusion, not simply make the sentence look more polished.
When the definition, synonym evidence, and example context point in the same direction, the word is usually a safer choice. When they conflict, revise the sentence or choose a clearer alternative.
Definitions
Noun
- 1 An amount by which something or someone is covered. countable, uncountable
"Don't go to lunch if we don't have enough coverage for the help-desk phones."
- 2 the extent to which something is covered wordnet
- 3 The amount and type of attention given to an event or topic in news media or other media. countable, uncountable
"Through services using the Elizabeth line were increased from November 6, but this did not attract significant media coverage - mainly because it has been an operational success, […]."
- 4 the news as presented by reporters for newspapers or radio or television wordnet
- 5 The average number of reads representing a given nucleotide in the reconstructed sequence. countable, uncountable
Show 4 more definitions
- 6 the total amount and type of insurance carried wordnet
- 7 The area covered by a mobile phone (cellphone) or other radio network. countable, uncountable
"The primary coverage area of a station is that area throughout which the station can be received without objectionable interference from static, electrical interfering noises, or interference from other radio broadcasting stations, practically all of the time the station is in operation."
- 8 The signal strength, reception of a radio signal. countable, uncountable
"Mobile phone coverage is poor in some areas."
- 9 Defense. countable, uncountable
Example
"Much of the riots' coverage was taken from the cell phones of passersby, saving local news outlets valuable film which they would later use for banal "human" "interest" "stories.""
Common questions
What is a synonym for "coverage"?
Common synonyms include: reporting, admissibility, admission, amplitude, area, assimilation.
How do you use "coverage" in a sentence?
Much of the riots' coverage was taken from the cell phones of passersby, saving local news outlets valuable film which they would later use for banal "human" "interest" "stories."
How do you pronounce "coverage"?
Pronounced /ˈkʌv.(ə.)ɹɪdʒ/.
Etymology
Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *ḱe Proto-Indo-European *ḱóm Proto-Italic *kom Proto-Italic *kom- Latin con- Proto-Indo-European *h₁ep-der. Proto-Indo-European *h₁epsder. Proto-Indo-European *h₁epi Proto-Indo-European *h₂wer- Proto-Indo-European *-yeti Latin operiō Latin cooperiō Old French covrirbor. Middle English coveren English cover Proto-Indo-European *-h₂ Proto-Indo-European *-éh₂ Proto-Indo-European *-tós Proto-Indo-European *-eh₂tos Proto-Italic *-ātos Latin -ātus Proto-Indo-European *-kos Proto-Italic *-kos Latin -cus Latin -icus Latin -āticus Latin -āticum Old French -agebor. Middle English -age English -age English coverage From cover + -age. First attested in 1912. Compare Middle English coverage (“a charge for having or stall or booth at a fair”).