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Frequent vs Widespread - What's the difference?

frequent | widespread |

As adjectives the difference between frequent and widespread

is that frequent is frequent; often while widespread is affecting a large area (eg the entire land or body); broad in extent; widely diffused.

frequent

English

Etymology 1

From (etyl) frequent, from (etyl) .Schwartzman, The Words of Mathematics: An Etymological Dictionary of Mathematical Terms Used in English

Adjective

  • Done or occurring often; common.
  • I take frequent breaks so I don't get too tired.
    There are frequent trains to the beach available.
    I am a frequent visitor to that city.
  • Occurring at short intervals.
  • * Byron
  • frequent feudal towers
  • Addicted to any course of conduct; inclined to indulge in any practice; habitual; persistent.
  • * Jonathan Swift
  • He has been loud and frequent in declaring himself hearty for the government.
  • (obsolete) Full; crowded; thronged.
  • * Ben Jonson
  • 'Tis Caesar's will to have a frequent senate.
  • (obsolete) Often or commonly reported.
  • * Massinger
  • 'Tis frequent in the city he hath subdued / The Catti and the Daci.

    Etymology 2

    From (etyl) frequenter, from (etyl)

    Verb

    (en verb)
  • To visit often.
  • I used to frequent that restaurant.
    Derived terms
    * frequenter

    widespread

    English

    Adjective

  • Affecting a large area (e.g. the entire land or body); broad in extent; widely diffused.
  • *
  • *:It was April 22, 1831, and a young man was walking down Whitehall in the direction of Parliament Street. He wore shepherd's plaid trousers and the swallow-tail coat of the day, with a figured muslin cravat wound about his wide-spread collar.
  • *{{quote-magazine, date=2013-06-28, author=(Joris Luyendijk)
  • , volume=189, issue=3, page=21, magazine=(The Guardian Weekly) , title= Our banks are out of control , passage=Seeing the British establishment struggle with the financial sector is like watching an alcoholic

    Synonyms

    * extensive, pervasive, prevalent, ubiquitous, universal

    Antonyms

    * limited