They want to make sweeping changes to education policies.sweepingsweep‧ing /ˈswiːpɪŋ/ ●○○ adjective 
They want to make sweeping changes to education policies.2[only before noun] including a lot of information about something: a sweeping look at European history3 sweeping statement/generalization a statement etc that is too general and that does not consider all the facts – used to show disapproval: sweeping generalizations about women drivers4forming a curved shape: the sweeping curve of the driveway a sweeping gesture5sweeping victory the winning of an election by a large number of votes: a sweeping victory for Labour
EXAMPLES FROM OTHER DICTIONARIES
- a sweeping novel
- He also advocated sweeping changes in education.
- In my opinion, that submission was too sweeping.
- It was Gerald Kaufman, shadow foreign secretary, who did that for him, in a speech of vast sweeping grasp.
- The cloth is liberally soaked and wiped over the surface in a smooth sweeping motion.
- Yet the most sweeping changes and the most fertile inventions have in the last decade come from New York.
COLLOCATIONS FROM THE ENTRY They want to make sweeping changes to education policies.COLLOCATIONS FROM OTHER ENTRIES a sweeping generalization based on speculation
They want to make sweeping changes to education policies. (=affecting many things or people, especially because of an official decision)· There are likely to be sweeping changes in the company.
(=wide and gentle)· the sweeping curve of the bay
a sweeping generalization based on speculation (=reforms that affect many things or have a great effect)· The new government instituted a series of far-reaching reforms.
(=one that is too general)· Researchers do not want to make any sweeping statements at this stage.
COLLOCATIONS FROM THE CORPUSNOUN· He also advocated sweeping changes in education.· Yet the most sweeping changes and the most fertile inventions have in the last decade come from New York.· This option allows you to make more sweeping changes - for example you can go from a bar chart to a line chart.· The report also called for sweeping changes in the way medicines were given to children.· One of Thames's latest money-saving schemes involves making sweeping changes to contract terms.· The reshuffle involved sweeping changes in economic portfolios.· Some people would like to see load-shedding trigger a sweeping change in New York's whole relationship with the surrounding region.· In other areas of education, there will be more sweeping changes.
· Economic reforms On Nov. 16 sweeping reforms were announced in a step towards a free-market economy.· After a tour and a few interviews with convicts, she was in favour of sweeping reforms.· Oversold health-care shares are now rebounding, as Mr Clinton's ability to push through sweeping reform begins to look limited.· It is not too early to start thinking about sweeping reforms, as history shows.
· This is a sweeping statement which makes little obvious sense on first reading, so let us dissect it more carefully.· Of course, this is usually so, but I am having little niggling doubts about such a sweeping statement.
PHRASES FROM THE ENTRY
1affecting many things, or making an important difference to somethingsweeping changes/cuts/reforms etc- He prefers a complicated sentence to a sweeping statement.
- Of course, this is usually so, but I am having little niggling doubts about such a sweeping statement.
- This is a sweeping statement which makes little obvious sense on first reading, so let us dissect it more carefully.
- The second was a sweeping victory, and the Athenians followed it up by landing troops on Aigina and besieging the town.
They want to make sweeping changes to education policies.2[only before noun] including a lot of information about something: a sweeping look at European history3 sweeping statement/generalization a statement etc that is too general and that does not consider all the facts – used to show disapproval: sweeping generalizations about women drivers4forming a curved shape: the sweeping curve of the driveway a sweeping gesture5sweeping victory the winning of an election by a large number of votes: a sweeping victory for Labour