sweeping

[ swee-ping ]

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.

noun

1. the act of a person or thing that sweeps. sweeps. sweep.
2. sweepings, matter swept swept sweep out or up, as dust, refuse, etc.

sweeping

/ 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

Derived Forms

• ˈsweepingly, adverb
• ˈsweepingness, noun

Other Words From

• sweeping·ly adverb

Word History and Origins

Origin of sweeping¹

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

Example Sentences

Instead, he was joining other teachers sweeping up material from an early morning fire underneath the stadium bleachers that severely damaged the press box.

From Los Angeles Times

A key Los Angeles City Council committee signed off on a sweeping rezoning plan Tuesday that would focus new market rate and affordable housing on commercial corridors and in existing dense residential neighborhoods.

From Los Angeles Times

Trump has yet to make a decision about that post, which has sweeping authority in areas such as economic and tax policy.

From BBC

A forthcoming request to force the sale of the Chrome browser, according to Bloomberg, would be one of the most sweeping competition demands in years.

From New York Times

In particular, economists say the former and soon-to-be-again president’s stated plans for sweeping tariffs and tax cuts could reignite inflation and significantly raise the deficit, thus putting upward pressure on home loan costs.

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

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