adjective

prevalent

/ˈprɛvələnt/ · say it: PREV·uh·lunt

widespread; common in a place or time

In Sophisticated Everyday

In more detail

1. (adjective) common or widespread; existing or happening in many places or among many people

2. (adjective) most common or frequent in a particular place or time

Examples

1. Smartphones are now prevalent in developed countries.
2. Malaria is prevalent in tropical regions.

How to use prevalent

Prevalent describes something that is widespread or common across a population or region, often used in medical, social, or cultural contexts. It suggests a high degree of distribution or acceptance and is more formal than 'common.' Use it when you want to emphasize how extensively something occurs across places or groups.

Common phrases

prevalent in
prevalent among
prevalent disease
prevalent view
prevalent practice
highly prevalent

Synonyms

widespread · common · frequent · endemic · rampant

Opposites

rare · uncommon · isolated

Word family

prevalence (noun) · prevalently (adverb)

A common mistake

Learners sometimes confuse prevalent with 'relevant' or use it without specifying the area or population (e.g., 'this disease is prevalent' works, but 'it is prevalent' without context sounds awkward).

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