Prevalent
Widely occurring or in general use; very common in a particular place or time.
adjectivePrevalent
Widely occurring or in general use; very common in a particular place or time.
adjectiveImagine This
Imagine a city where every storefront displays the same neon jacket and the same slogan. The look is so prevalent that individuality feels rare, and everyone seems to be wearing the exact same outfit.
Sounds Like
PREV-uh-lent (rhymes with 'relevant').
Looks Like
Looks like 'relevant' (shares the -levant ending) and visually resembles other -levant words.
Remember This
Prevalent describes how widespread something is in a given context. It is related to but not the same as 'prevailing' (more often used for dominant influence) or 'prevalence' (the noun form).
Other Forms
Connect With
prevalence, widespread, pervasive, ubiquitous, common, prevailing
Note
Be careful not to confuse with 'prevalent' being used for rare things; it specifically means widely existing or widespread. Use with nouns like 'diseases,' 'attitudes,' 'trends,' or 'customs.'
Study Deeper
- Pollution is prevalent in the industrial district.
- Casual dining has become increasingly prevalent among young professionals.
From Latin praevalฤns, present participle of praevalฤre 'to prevail, be stronger or more widespread,' from prae- 'before' + valฤre 'to be strong.'
Mnemonic: PREV-uh-lent = PREVAIL-ENT. If something prevails, it's prevalent. Remember by thinking: what prevails everywhere is prevalent.
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Similar Words
Related words and words with the same part of speech.
Widespread
adjectiveWidely distributed or occurring over a large area; common throughout a region or population.
Abstruse
adjectiveDifficult to understand; obscure or highly complex.
Accidental
adjectiveHappening by chance or without deliberate planning; not intended. In music, it is also a noun for a symbol that temporarily alters a pitch.
Acerbic
adjectiveSharp or biting in tone or taste; caustic or mordant in manner.
Acquiescent
adjectiveReady to agree or approve without protest; compliant.
Adamant
adjectiveRigid in opinion or purpose; not willing to change one's mind or position.