WordValepandemic
a disease outbreak spreading across countries or worldwide
In more detail
a disease that spreads over a very large area or the whole world and affects many people
Examples
- The COVID-19 pandemic affected millions of people worldwide.
How to use pandemic
Pandemic refers specifically to a disease outbreak that spreads across countries or continents, affecting large populations. It is more severe in scope than an epidemic, which is geographically limited. The term is now used both in medical contexts and more broadly when discussing the disease's widespread impact.
Common phrases
- global pandemic
- worldwide pandemic
- declare a pandemic
- during the pandemic
- pandemic response
- pandemic restrictions
Synonyms
epidemic · outbreak · plague · pestilence · health crisis
Word family
pandemic (adjective) · pandemically (adverb)
A common mistake
Learners sometimes use pandemic and epidemic interchangeably, but an epidemic is regional whereas a pandemic crosses international borders and affects multiple continents.
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