There is no denying that English is the most widely spoken language in the world.
Source: tatoeba (26385)
Widely
/ˈwaɪdli/
Synonyms for "widely" (48 found)
Ranked by relevance and common usage.
Closest matches (10)
Strong matches (14)
Adverb(7 words)
Adverb(2 words)
extensivelyfar and wide
Adjective(1 words)
Noun(3 words)
more citywidemore mainstreammore popular uprising
Related words (24)
Noun(9 words)
more publicmore transferablemost general usemost generalizablemost public-advancingmost spacedmost well knownmost world literaturespread out
Determiner(2 words)
more resourcesmost public
Adverb(9 words)
right and leftvastly
Adverb(1 words)
Adjective(1 words)
wide gap
Choosing the right synonym
- Closest matches in this entry: abroad, abroad, across, across many topics, amply.
- Sentence evidence is available for widely, so synonym choice can be checked against real usage rather than a flat word list.
- Ranking signals come from derived_reverse, opengloss, wiktionary, wordnet, and related lexical sources.
Synonym selection checklist
- Match the part of speech before comparing meanings.
- Check whether the synonym changes intensity, formality, or emotional tone.
- Read the replacement inside the full sentence, not just beside "widely".
- Prefer the clearest word over the most unusual word when writing for speed or comprehension.
When not to replace "widely"
Keep "widely" when the sentence already sounds natural, when a synonym would add unintended emphasis, or when readers need the most familiar wording. A synonym should clarify or sharpen the message, not simply make the sentence look more varied.
If two options seem close, choose the one that best matches the audience and purpose of the sentence.
Replacement workflow
1. Preserve meaning
Choose a synonym only if it keeps the core idea of "widely" intact in the sentence you are editing.
2. Tune tone
Check whether the replacement sounds more formal, casual, emotional, technical, or forceful than the original word.
3. Re-read context
Read the full sentence after the swap. Keep the synonym only when the sentence becomes clearer or more precise.
Review note: Synonym lists are ranked with lexical data and reviewed for practical writing value. Use the comparison notes, sentence evidence, and source labels together; a high-ranking synonym can still be wrong when the audience, register, or grammar changes.
Final fit check
After choosing a replacement for "widely", read the sentence once for meaning and once for rhythm. The best synonym should feel natural in the full sentence, not only accurate in a word list.
If the synonym makes the sentence slower, vaguer, or more dramatic than intended, keep "widely" or choose a simpler alternative from the closest-match group.
Related word relations
OpenGloss and ConceptNet supply richer edges like generalizations, collocations, and derivations.
More general
3 entriesadverb of extentadverb of generalityadverb of scope
More specific
9 entriescurriculum wide coverageextensively usedmulti topic coveragenational reachregional spreadtextbook breadthwidely adoptedwidely taughtworldwide distribution
Collocations
6 entrieswidely acceptedwidely availablewidely distributedwidely knownwidely readwidely used
Inflections
2 entriesmore widelymost widely
Derivations
1 entriesTranslations
22 translations across 17 languages.
Belarusian
1 entries- далёка adv (separated by a large distance)
Bulgarian
2 entries- дале́ч adv (separated by a large distance)
- дале́че adv (separated by a large distance)
Czech
1 entries- daleko adv (separated by a large distance)
Finnish
1 entries- suuresti adv (separated by a large distance)
French
2 entries- grandement adv (separated by a large distance)
- largement adv (separated by a large distance)
German
1 entries- entfernt adv (separated by a large distance)
Italian
2 entries- distantemente adv (separated by a large distance)
- estesamente adv (separated by a large distance)
Macedonian
1 entries- далеку adv (separated by a large distance)
Polish
1 entries- daleko adv (separated by a large distance)
Portuguese
1 entries- distantemente adv (separated by a large distance)
Russian
1 entries- далеко́ adv (separated by a large distance)
Serbo-Croatian
2 entries- daleko adv (separated by a large distance)
- далеко adv (separated by a large distance)
Slovak
1 entries- ďaleko adv (separated by a large distance)
Slovene
1 entries- daleč adv (separated by a large distance)
Spanish
2 entries- ampliamente adv (separated by a large distance)
- extensamente adv (separated by a large distance)
Swedish
1 entries- vitt adv (separated by a large distance)
Ukrainian
1 entries- дале́ко adv (separated by a large distance)
Sample sentences
14 total sentences available.
And even outside these nations, English is perhaps more widely used as a medium of international communication than any other language.
Source: tatoeba (32723)
They are now widely used for communication, calculation, and other activities.
Source: tatoeba (42843)
The old belief is still widely current.
Source: tatoeba (48158)
Showing 4 of 14 available sentences.
Common questions
What are the closest synonyms for "widely"?
Closest matches include abroad, abroad, across, across many topics, amply.
How should I check whether a synonym fits "widely"?
Compare the replacement against real sentence context. This entry includes sample sentences so you can check tone, grammar, and meaning before swapping words.