adj
Common
prevalent
PREH-vuh-luhnt
Prevalent (adj) means Widespread or common, especially at a given time or in a given place. Example: “Cycling to work has become far more prevalent in the city over the last decade.”
adj
1
Widespread or common, especially at a given time or in a given place.
"Cycling to work has become far more prevalent in the city over the last decade."
"The disease is more prevalent in areas without clean drinking water."
"Colds are especially prevalent in schools during the winter months, as children pass them to each other."
How to use prevalent
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishHow common or widespread something is.
Easily confused with
Common pairings
increasingly prevalent
prevalent among
a prevalent belief
Vocabulary Flow
Build your vocabulary from words like prevalent.
Vocabulary Flow serves the next word, and the next — meaning, pronunciation and an example each time. Practice at your level, or learn English in your own language.
Start vocabulary practice
Word forms
- Plural
- prevalents
- Comparative
- more prevalent
- Superlative
- most prevalent
Fill the gap
Can you complete this real example?
Cycling to work has become far more _____ in the city over the last decade.
Etymology
From Latin praevalens, related to praevalere ("to be superior, to prevail").
Synonyms
View more →Antonyms
Related words
Rhymes for prevalent
See all rhymes for prevalent →Frequently asked questions
What does “prevalent” mean?
The word “prevalent” means widespread or common, especially at a given time or in a given place. In plain terms, how common or widespread something is.
How do you pronounce “prevalent”?
“Prevalent” is pronounced PREH-vuh-luhnt (/ˈpɹɛvələnt/ in IPA).
How do you use “prevalent” in a sentence?
Here is “prevalent” used in a sentence: “Cycling to work has become far more prevalent in the city over the last decade.”
What is another word for “prevalent”?
Words with a similar meaning to “prevalent” include rife.
What part of speech is “prevalent”?
“Prevalent” is an adjective.
Where does the word “prevalent” come from?
The word “prevalent” comes from Latin. From Latin praevalens, related to praevalere ("to be superior, to prevail").
Is “prevalent” a common word?
“Prevalent” is a fairly common word in modern English.
What is the difference between prevalent and common?
Prevalent and common are close synonyms, both meaning widespread, but prevalent often emphasizes how dominant or frequent something is at a particular time or place, while common is a more general, everyday term for anything frequently occurring.
How is prevalent used in medical or scientific writing?
In medical and scientific contexts, prevalent often describes how widespread a disease, condition, or trait is within a population, as in a prevalent illness in a certain region.
Is prevalent a formal word?
Yes, prevalent tends to sound more formal or technical than everyday alternatives like common or widespread, and it appears frequently in academic, scientific, and journalistic writing.
Featured in
Vocabulary lists that include prevalent:
