global
/ˈɡləʊbl/ (bre, ipa) · /ˈɡləʊbl/ (ame, ipa) · /ˈglō-bəl/ (ame, mw)
global — adjective
- globalpositive
- more globalcomparative
- most globalsuperlative
1. relating to every country and region across the entire Earth, rather than being
relating to every country and region across the entire Earth, rather than being limited to one area.
Ilan's small online shop now serves customers on a global scale, shipping to over 40 countries.
collocation: on a global scale
The global health crisis of 2020 forced schools and offices around the world to close.
Ingrid presented her research on ocean pollution at a global conference in Seoul.
Global demand for electric cars has increased sharply in the last five years.
Sayaka dreams of working for an organization that fights global poverty.
- worldwide
more purely geographic; used especially for distribution or reach across countries
- international
emphasises relations between nations; slightly more formal or political
- planetary
more scientific or dramatic; less common in everyday speech
文法句型
global + noun
用法筆記
This sense is almost always used before a noun (attributive). For example, you say 'a global issue', not 'the issue is global' in everyday speech, though predicative use ('the problem is global') does occur in formal writing.
常見錯誤
2. taking every part or aspect of a subject, situation, or system into account, rat
taking every part or aspect of a subject, situation, or system into account, rather than focusing on individual details in isolation.
The CEO proposed a global strategy that covers marketing, production, and staffing.
collocation: global strategy
Anong's report offers a global analysis of the problem rather than focusing on one department.
Before cutting the budget, the manager took a global view of the company's spending.
Wren is writing a book that gives a global picture of the fashion industry.
The professor praised the student for her global approach to the history assignment.
- comprehensive
emphasises thoroughness; more common for written reports or analyses
- overall
more informal; often used in business contexts ('overall cost', 'overall picture')
- all-encompassing
stronger and more dramatic; less frequent
文法句型
global + noun (abstract)
用法筆記
Distinguish from Sense 1 (WORLDWIDE): Sense 1 is about physical geography (the Earth), while Sense 2 is about intellectual scope (covering all parts of a topic). If the noun refers to a geographic area ('global economy', 'global market'), Sense 1 applies. If it refers to an abstract system or analysis ('global strategy', 'global view'), Sense 2 applies.
常見錯誤
3. shaped like a ball or globe, with a curved surface where every point on the outs
shaped like a ball or globe, with a curved surface where every point on the outside is the same distance from the centre.
The ancient Greeks knew that the Earth is a global body, not a flat disk.
Some seeds are global in form, while others are long and thin.
pattern: be + global in [form/shape]
Noa explained that a planet's global curvature determines its shadow length during an eclipse.
Before the age of exploration, mapmakers debated whether the Earth was flat or global in shape.
文法句型
global + noun
be + global (in shape)
用法筆記
This sense is now rare outside technical writing (geometry, geography, astronomy). In everyday English, 'spherical' or 'round' are far more common. You are most likely to encounter this sense in older texts or discussions of the shape of planets.