sweeping

American  

[swee-ping] / ˈswi pɪŋ /

adjective

1. of wide range or scope.

   Synonyms:

   comprehensive, broad, extensive

2. moving or passing about over a wide area.

   a sweeping glance.

3. moving, driving, or passing steadily and forcibly on.

4. (of the outcome of a contest) decisive; overwhelming; complete.

   a sweeping victory.

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noun

1. the act of a person or thing that sweeps.

2. sweepings, matter swept out or up, as dust, refuse, etc.

sweeping British  

/ ˈswiːpɪŋ /

adjective

1. comprehensive and wide-ranging

   sweeping reforms

2. indiscriminate or without reservations

   sweeping statements

3. decisive or overwhelming

   a sweeping victory

4. taking in a wide area

   a sweeping glance

5. driving steadily onwards, esp over a large area

   a sweeping attack

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Other Word Forms

• sweepingly adverb
• sweepingness noun

Etymology

Origin of sweeping

First recorded in 1470–80; sweep ¹ + -ing ², -ing ¹

Explanation

Something that's sweeping is wide-ranging or thorough. A political candidate might campaign on promises to bring sweeping change to a country. Sweeping things can be extensive, like the sweeping powers a president has in a dictatorship, or curving, like the sweeping motion a dancer makes with his arm. Sweeping can also mean "overly broad," so if you make a sweeping generalization, you take a general idea or rule and apply it too widely, without allowing any exceptions to it.

Example Sentences

With that came new work requirements, costs of the program shifting to states, and other sweeping changes that could lead to more than 3 million people losing access within the next few years.

From Slate • Apr. 19, 2026

For a decade, Benin's new president Romuald Wadagni has been the behind-the-scenes architect of sweeping economic reforms that have led to one of the strongest growth rates in west Africa.

From Barron's • Apr. 14, 2026

That outdoor space comes in the form of a sweeping terrace that wraps around much of the property and comes complete with multiple seating areas.

From MarketWatch • Apr. 13, 2026

Pre-1942, she struggled to incorporate details into her sweeping landscapes.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 11, 2026

After they had wandered off, I improvised a broom from dried stems and tidied up, sweeping away the embers.

From "Flying Through Water" by Mamle Wolo

Related Words

• across-the-board
• all-encompassing
• broad
• comprehensive
• exhaustive
• extensive
• radical
• thorough
• wholesale