What's the difference between
and
Enter two words to compare and contrast their definitions, origins, and synonyms to better understand how those words are related.

Sparse vs Widespread - What's the difference?

sparse | widespread |

As adjectives the difference between sparse and widespread

is that sparse is having widely spaced intervals while widespread is affecting a large area (eg the entire land or body); broad in extent; widely diffused.

As a verb sparse

is (obsolete) to scatter; to disperse.

sparse

English

Adjective

(er)
  • Having widely spaced intervals.
  • Not dense; meager.

    • Related terms

    * thin out

    Derived terms

    * sparse array * sparse index * sparse matrix

    Verb

    (spars)
  • (obsolete) To scatter; to disperse.
    • (Spenser)

    Anagrams

    * * * * * * * ----

    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