sweeping
sweeping
Definition
sweep·ing (swē′piŋ)
adjective
- that sweeps; cleansing or carrying away with or as with a broom
- reaching in a long curve or line
- extending over the whole range or a great space
- extensive; comprehensive; thoroughgoing
- complete; decisive
- indiscriminate a sweeping generalization
noun
- things swept up, as dirt, particles, etc. swept from a floor
- the act, work, etc. of a person or thing that sweeps
sweep′·ingly adverb
sweeping
Synonyms
sweeping
Usage Examples
Preposition: of
- street: Wycombe District Council Litter We are responsible for the sweeping of streets and the removal of litter in the Wycombe district.
Preposition: in
- scope: Most jurisdictions have special privacy codes that are not as sweeping in scope.
Modifies a noun
- generalization: I must be very careful not to make sweeping, inaccurate generalizations.
- staircase: A sweeping staircase takes you to the first floor on which the public areas are located.
- generalization: This, I pointed out, was just a sweeping generalization.
- vista: The weather was balmy, the location idyllic; a narrow ribbon of road with sheer drops on either side, revealing sweeping vistas.
- driveway: Long sweeping driveway giving access to the detached double garage.
- bend: The old road from Alencon down to Le Mans through the sweeping bends under the trees is much more fun.
Modifying Another Word
- too: He means " fiction " which is too sweeping.
- rather: Ways of using ICT with the child are not made clear; instead, a rather sweeping statement is left for us to interpret.
- so: There were changes too - although not quite so sweeping - among the professional staff.
- now: Salmon believes viewers will also benefit from the overdue realism now sweeping sports TV.
- then: TO THE REAR: Of the house is a decked area and then sweeping lawned gardens with mature hedging, ornamental and deciduous trees.
- very: Developing a tort of group defamation which applied to races and religions would be a very sweeping extension of present English law.
Used with adjective complement
- come: There; try again, " said Ujarak, pointing to a flock of birds which came sweeping toward them.
- seem: My experience is limited in all areas, and some generalizations may seem sweeping, or even presumptuous.
- need: It is very worn and may also need sweeping.
- see: Over to the right, the M74 can be seen sweeping over the moor.
- make: I must be very careful not to make sweeping, inaccurate generalizations.
- go: In 869 A.D. , a merciless epidemic went sweeping through Kyoto.
Browse dictionary entries near sweeping
- sweeper
- sweepback
- sweep under the rug
- sweep hand
- sweep
- sweeny
- Swedish turnip
- Swedish massage
- Swedish ivy
- Swedish
- sweepings
- sweepstakes
- sweet
- sweet alyssum
- sweet-and-sour
- sweet basil
- sweet bay
- sweet cherry
- sweet cicely
- sweet clover
