prevalence

noun

prev·​a·​lence ˈpre-və-lən(t)s 

ˈprev-lən(t)s

1

: the quality or state of being prevalent

2

: the degree to which something is prevalent

especially : the percentage of a population that is affected with a particular disease at a given time

Synonyms of prevalence

• frequency
• occurrence
• frequence

Examples of prevalence in a Sentence

the prevalence of rumors when hard information is withheld from the public

Recent Examples on the Web

And in a study of a third group of over 690 participants, super movers had better cognition and lower prevalence of Alzheimer’s disease and other forms of dementia. — Katia Hetter, CNN Money, 14 Aug. 2026

Regarding the heightened prevalence of ADHD among first-borns, Siegel offered his own hypothesis about parental behavior. — Khloe Quill, FOXNews.com, 13 Aug. 2026

The prevalence of LRDs in the early universe would align with the emergence of supermassive black holes, each weighing millions to billions of suns apiece, which astronomers spy at the hearts of large galaxies. — Lee Billings, Scientific American, 12 Aug. 2026

Experts attribute the rising prevalence, also seen in states like Florida and Maryland, to climate change, as warming ocean temperatures expand the bacteria's habitat and concentration, underscoring a growing public health concern. — Bruce Y. Lee, Forbes.com, 9 Aug. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1682, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for prevalence

• benevolence
• malevolence
• seroprevalence

Kids Definition

prevalence

noun

prev·​a·​lence ˈprev(-ə)-lən(t)s 

1

: the state of being prevalent

2

: the degree to which something is prevalent

especially : the part of a population that is affected with a particular disease at a given time

Medical Definition

prevalence

noun

prev·​a·​lence ˈprev(-ə)-lən(t)s 

: the percentage of a population that is affected with a particular disease at a given time compare incidence sense 2b