1
Common condition
Occurring frequently within a population.
Example
The deficiency is prevalent among seedlings in poor soil.
prevalent
/ˈprɛvələnt/ · PREV-uh-luhntadjective
Widespread or commonly occurring in a particular place or time.
Use prevalent when the context supports this precise sense: widespread or commonly occurring in a particular place or time.
What prevalent Really Means
The word becomes easier to use when its closely related senses are separated and compared.
2
Widespread practice
Common across a field or period.
Example
Hand copying remained prevalent before cheap printing.
3
Dominant tendency
Frequently encountered in a defined context.
Example
This interpretation is prevalent in early criticism.
Use prevalent Naturally
Notice how the surrounding noun or clause reveals the exact shade of meaning.
The deficiency is prevalent among seedlings in poor soil.
Hand copying remained prevalent before cheap printing.
This interpretation is prevalent in early criticism.
Precision Matters
Prevalent overlaps with several common words, but each carries a different emphasis.
prevalent
vs.Means widespread or commonly occurring in a particular place or time.
pervasive
Means spreading widely throughout an area or group.
prevalent
vs.Means widespread or commonly occurring in a particular place or time.
ubiquitous
Means present or encountered virtually everywhere.
prevalent
vs.Means widespread or commonly occurring in a particular place or time.
commonplace
Means ordinary, familiar, and unremarkable because it occurs frequently.
prevalent
vs.Means widespread or commonly occurring in a particular place or time.
rare
Means occurring infrequently.
Test prevalent in Context
The practice occurs commonly within a defined group of towns.
1
The custom was especially ___ in coastal towns, appearing in most of the household records researchers examined.