be widespread in

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "be widespread in" is correct and usable in written English. You can use it to describe something that is common or prevalent in a particular area or among a specific group. An example is: "The use of smartphones is widespread in urban areas." Alternative expressions include "be prevalent in" and "be common in."

✓ Grammatically correct

Science

News & Media

Academia

Formal & Business

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

[14] I think the idea of lifelong learning should be widespread in order to live a more well-being life.

Functional Linguistics

Indeed, the problem used to be widespread in the Alps.

The New York Times

Job discrimination over race and ethnicity is thought to be widespread in France.

The Guardian

Though a possible violation of export policies, such mislabeling is thought to be widespread in China.

The New York Times

Harassment of new students by senior college students appears to be widespread in developing countries.

Procedia - Social and Behavioral Sciences

This harvesting-induced selection, he added, could be widespread in other pests.

The New York Times - Science

The two findings suggest that the behavior may be widespread in these kinds of lizards.

The New York Times - Science

Such payments are believed to be widespread in Russia's banking system, but rarely come to light.

The New York Times

This suggests that this sort of soft tissue preservation might be widespread in fossils".

Independent

Looting appeared to be widespread in parts of the city, but Arabs said it had not spread to their neighborhoods.

The New York Times

Today, however, baddeleyite (ZrO2) and zirconolite (CaZrTi2O7) have been found to be widespread in the silica-poor mafic igneous rocks.

Britannica

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Pair this phrase with abstract nouns like "corruption", "mislabeling" or "evolutionary strategies" to indicate general presence without implying every single instance is affected.

Common error

Writers sometimes mistakenly use "widespread of" when they intend to describe a location. Ensure you use the preposition "in" to denote the domain or area where the prevalence occurs. For example, "widespread in the industry" is correct, whereas "widespread of the industry" is not.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "be widespread in" functions as a complex predicate composed of the linking verb "be", the compound adjective "widespread" and the preposition "in". It serves to link a subject to a state of broad distribution or high frequency within a specific domain. According to Ludwig, it is a standard and robust structure in English.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

Science

55%

News & Media

25%

Academia

15%

Less common in

Formal & Business

3%

Wiki

1%

Encyclopedias

1%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "be widespread in" is a highly reliable and frequently used expression in professional English. Ludwig AI confirms its correctness and wide usage across diverse fields, especially in scientific research and news reporting. It effectively describes how a trait, issue or phenomenon is distributed across a large area or system. Whether you are discussing biological evolution in journals like PlosOne or societal issues in The New York Times, this phrase provides a clear and formal way to indicate that something is common and pervasive. For more variety, writers can also consider "<a href="/s/be+prevalent+in" target="_blank" rel="alternative">be prevalent in" as a close synonym.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

be prevalent in

Suggests a condition that is dominant or generally accepted in a specific area

be common in

A more neutral and less formal way to indicate frequency

be pervasive in

Implies that something is spreading through every part of a system or place

be ubiquitous in

Stronger term suggesting something is found everywhere simultaneously

be rife in

Often used for negative things like corruption or disease occurring frequently

be extensive in

Focuses more on the physical scale or broad reach of the subject

be generalized in

Indicates that a specific trait is found across a whole group or population

be frequently found in

Uses a verbal structure to emphasize the act of discovery or observation

be widely distributed in

Technical phrasing often used in ecology or statistics to describe range

be endemic to

Specifies that something is naturally and regularly found within a specific region

FAQs

What can I say instead of "be widespread in"?

Depending on your tone, you can use alternatives like "<a href="/s/be+prevalent+in" target="_blank" rel="alternative">be prevalent in", "<a href="/s/be+pervasive+in" target="_blank" rel="alternative">be pervasive in" or simply "<a href="/s/be+common+in" target="_blank" rel="alternative">be common in".

Is it correct to use "be widespread in" in scientific papers?

Yes, it is highly appropriate. Ludwig shows numerous examples from journals like Nature and PlosOne where "be widespread in" is used to describe biological traits or environmental patterns.

What is the difference between "be widespread in" and "be widespread among"?

Use "in" for locations, systems or environments (e.g., "widespread in the ocean"), and use "among" when referring to specific groups of people or species (e.g., "<a href="/s/be+widespread+among+adolescents" target="_blank" rel="alternative">be widespread among adolescents").

Can "be widespread in" refer to a negative thing?

Yes, it is frequently used for negative contexts such as "corruption", "disease" or "discrimination", though it is neutral enough for positive or scientific contexts as well.