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
The service—which allows users to set their location to more than 160 locations in 90 countries with unlimited bandwidth—offers a 30-day-money-back guarantee.
—Lea Veloso, StyleCaster, 16 May 2025
Buchanan unexpectedly resigned her position on the Village Board on May 9 with two years left on her term, saying she was burned out and no longer had the bandwidth to serve.
—Bob Skolnik, Chicago Tribune, 15 May 2025
Deep tech, on the other hand, demands patience: long R&D cycles, high technical uncertainty and few short-term wins — a journey that most don’t have the bandwidth to go through.
—Kolawole Samuel Adebayo, Forbes.com, 12 May 2025
The old, copper telecommunications connections will get a fiber-optic technology update, allowing for greater bandwidth and speed, the agency said.
—Jaclyn Diaz, NPR, 8 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for bandwidth
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Lea Veloso, StyleCaster, 16 May 2025
Buchanan unexpectedly resigned her position on the Village Board on May 9 with two years left on her term, saying she was burned out and no longer had the bandwidth to serve.
—Bob Skolnik, Chicago Tribune, 15 May 2025
Deep tech, on the other hand, demands patience: long R&D cycles, high technical uncertainty and few short-term wins — a journey that most don’t have the bandwidth to go through.
—Kolawole Samuel Adebayo, Forbes.com, 12 May 2025
The old, copper telecommunications connections will get a fiber-optic technology update, allowing for greater bandwidth and speed, the agency said.
—Jaclyn Diaz, NPR, 8 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 9 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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