bandwidth
noun
band·width
ˈband-ˌwidth 
-ˌwitth
1
: a range within a band of wavelengths, frequencies, or energies
especially
: a range of radio frequencies which is occupied by a modulated carrier wave, which is assigned to a service, or over which a device can operate
2
: the capacity for data transfer of an electronic communications system
Graphics consume more bandwidth than text does.
especially
: the maximum data transfer rate of such a system
a bandwidth of 100 megabits per second
3
: the emotional or mental capacity necessary to do or consider something
I don't have the bandwidth to do it all myself, and I feel like a failure because I'm not living up to my own ideals.—
Frances Lefkowitz
Frances LefkowitzExamples of bandwidth in a Sentence
The modem has a bandwidth of 56 kilobits per second.
Graphics use more bandwidth than text does.
Recent Examples on the Web
Limits in network bandwidth can also reduce the efficacy of real-time observation.
—Kalyan Gottipati, Forbes.com, 6 June 2025
The professionalism and the maturity suggest that this group has the mental bandwidth to reach its ceiling.
—Tony Jones, New York Times, 29 May 2025
Similar to Vrabel, first-year coach Ben Johnson doesn’t have a lot of bandwidth for dissecting what has kept the Bears in their current quandary, without a playoff victory since January 2011.
—Brad Biggs, Chicago Tribune, 21 May 2025
The system provided more than enough bandwidth for those otherwise-verboten video calls, as tested in Signal and FaceTime.
—Rob Pegoraro, PC Magazine, 13 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for bandwidth
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Kalyan Gottipati, Forbes.com, 6 June 2025
The professionalism and the maturity suggest that this group has the mental bandwidth to reach its ceiling.
—Tony Jones, New York Times, 29 May 2025
Similar to Vrabel, first-year coach Ben Johnson doesn’t have a lot of bandwidth for dissecting what has kept the Bears in their current quandary, without a playoff victory since January 2011.
—Brad Biggs, Chicago Tribune, 21 May 2025
The system provided more than enough bandwidth for those otherwise-verboten video calls, as tested in Signal and FaceTime.
—Rob Pegoraro, PC Magazine, 13 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for bandwidth
Cite this Entry
“Bandwidth.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/bandwidth. Accessed 11 Jun. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
bandwidth
noun
band·width
ˈband-ˌwidth
1
: a range of frequencies
2
: the capacity for or rate of data transfer
a high bandwidth Internet connection
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