What does "epidemic" mean?
A widespread disease that affects many humans in a population.
Epidemic
/ˌɛpɪˈdɛmɪk/ adj, noun, slang
adj, noun, slang ·Common ·High school level
Meaning at a glance
- Primary sense: A widespread disease that affects many humans in a population.
- Grammar: epidemic is listed as adj, noun, slang.
- Nearest alternatives: abounding, abundant, affluent, all-sufficing.
- Useful contrasts: ecdemic, endemic, endemic plants.
- Usage evidence: A serious epidemic has broken out in Beijing.
How to use "epidemic"
- Start with the primary definition, then check the part of speech before placing the word in a sentence.
- Compare nearby synonyms to make sure "epidemic" 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 "epidemic" 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 "epidemic" as the right word for your sentence.
If your draft is formal, technical, persuasive, or sensitive, compare "epidemic" 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 "epidemic" is acting as adj, noun, slang 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 "abounding" 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 "epidemic", 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 A widespread disease that affects many humans in a population.
"At that time, the city [Christiania, now Oslo] was in the grip of a cholera epidemic, and victims were dying at the rate of 60 a day. Bradshaw contracted the disease, and died on September 6 [1853]."
- 2 a widespread outbreak of an infectious disease; many people are infected at the same time wordnet
- 3 An occurrence of a disease or disorder in a human population at a frequency higher than that expected in a given time period; an episode of outbreak and subsequent high prevalence.
- 4 A heightened occurrence of anything harmful. broadly, colloquial
"Even before the pandemic, the United States surgeon general, Vivek Murthy, said the country was experiencing an “epidemic of loneliness,” driven by the accelerated pace of life and the spread of technology into all of our social interactions."
- 5 The spreading of an idea or belief amongst a population. figuratively
"Lord Avonleigh was at once liberated from his imprisonment, well prepared to be considered, and to consider himself, a martyr to the cause of loyalty; and as the services of the rich nobleman,...his claims to notice and favour were most graciously acknowledged. Accordingly, he returned to his seat in a little fever of royal devotedness—it was the fashionable epidemic; and who coming from Whitehall could be without it?"
Adjective
- 1 Of, related to, or being an epidemic: a widespread outbreak of disease in humans.
- 2 Like an epidemic: widespread in a bad way. figuratively
"Epidemic hysteria occurred upon the incumbent’s reelection."
Adjective
- 1 (especially of medicine) of disease or anything resembling a disease; attacking or affecting many individuals in a community or a population simultaneously wordnet
Synonyms
All synonymsExample
"A serious epidemic has broken out in Beijing."
Common questions
What is a synonym for "epidemic"?
Common synonyms include: abounding, abundant, affluent, all-sufficing, ambulatory plague, ample.
How do you use "epidemic" in a sentence?
A serious epidemic has broken out in Beijing.
How do you pronounce "epidemic"?
Pronounced /ˌɛpɪˈdɛmɪk/.
Etymology
From French épidémique, from épidémie, from Medieval Latin epidēmia, reanalysis of plural Late Latin epidēmia, from Ancient Greek ἐπιδήμιος (epidḗmios), from ἐπί (epí, “upon”) + δῆμος (dêmos, “people”). By surface analysis, epi- (“on”) + demic (“of the people”).