weitreichenden

Weitreichenden is the inflected form of the German adjective weitreichend, meaning far-reaching or wide-ranging. It is used to describe effects, plans, or phenomena that have a large scope in space or time. The form weitreichenden typically appears before plural nouns in various grammatical cases, for example mit weitreichenden Folgen (with far-reaching consequences) or weitreichenden Reformen (far-reaching reforms). In nominative or accusative position before plural nouns, the base form weitreichende is more common, as in weitreichende Folgen. The root is a compound of weit (far, wide) and reichend (reaching), dating from Old High German; the word conveys the sense of expansive or extensive influence.

Etymology and development: weitreichend combines two common German roots, reflecting a semantic blend of distance and reach. It has been established in formal and journalistic registers and is widely understood across German-speaking regions.

Usage notes: weitreichend is a formal, literary-leaning descriptor often found in politics, economics, science, and media languages. It signals implications that extend across multiple domains or timeframes, rather than localized or short-term effects. Common collocations include weitreichende Folgen, weitreichende Auswirkungen, weitreichende Reformen and weitreichende Veränderungen. The exact inflected form (weitreichenden, weitreichende, etc.) depends on case, number, and definite or indefinite article.

See also: weitreichend (base adjective), weitreichende Folgen. Synonyms such as umfassend or weitgehend can convey related notions, while antonyms include kurzfristig or lokal begrenzt.