prevalent

adjective prev·a·lent \ ˈpre-və-lənt , ˈprev-lənt \

Updated on: 15 Apr 2018

Definition of prevalent

1 archaic : powerful

2 : being in ascendancy : dominant

3 : generally or widely accepted, practiced, or favored : widespread

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prevalent

noun

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prevalently

adverb

See prevalent defined for English-language learners

See prevalent defined for kids

Examples of prevalent in a Sentence

Sweden is known as a nation ridden by suicide and alcoholism, but those problems are no more prevalent here than in most European countries. —John Harris, Rolling Stone, 14 Nov. 2002
Teams seem to him better coached, players more skilled, the strategy even more defensive, the opportunities less prevalent, the game less ripe. —Alec Wilkinson, ESPN, 16 Apr. 2001
So prevalent were grave robberies that the pharaohs' loyal retainers often spirited away their masters' remains for reinterment in secret graves. —Paul Martin, National Geographic Traveler, March 1999
Throughout the Mediterranean culture, which was the matrix of our own, the tree was a prevalent embodiment of the Mother Goddess; … —Francis DuPlessix Gray, UTNE Reader, November/December 1987
a custom that was once prevalent here
Those teaching methods are still prevalent at some schools.
a fashion that is prevalent among teenagers

Recent Examples of prevalent from the Web

In the northern, more rural parts of the state, hunting is more prevalent.

— lisa marie pane, The Christian Science Monitor, "Members of school gun teams say learned skills include patience and discipline," 9 Apr. 2018
In the northern, more rural parts of the state, hunting is more prevalent.

— lisa marie pane, Fox News, "Advocates: School gun clubs teach discipline, not violence," 8 Apr. 2018
In the northern, more rural parts of the state, hunting is more prevalent.

— Washington Post, "Advocates: School gun clubs teach discipline, not violence," 8 Apr. 2018
Last year San Diego County had 20 Zika virus cases, though all were contracted through travel to countries where the virus is more prevalent or through contact with someone who was infected overseas.

— paul sisson, sandiegouniontribune.com, "Mosquito season increases risk of West Nile and Zika infection," 3 Apr. 2018
On the worldwide pop charts, reggae and dancehall sounds are more prevalent than ever before, thanks to international artists like Drake and Major Lazer, both of whom released their breakthrough records in 2009, the same year Buju was arrested.

— reshma b, Billboard, "Anticipation Builds for Buju Banton's Long-Awaited Return From Prison," 30 Mar. 2018
Diversity is much more prevalent in the big metropolitan areas that house more of the nation's business, government, civic and media leadership -- and also now constitute the indisputable geographic foundation of the Democratic electoral coalition.

— ronald brownstein, CNN, "Fact-checking Tucker Carlson on diversity in America," 27 Mar. 2018
Linking the harvest and farming with armed defense became a pictorial leitmotif especially prevalent during World War II.

— kim sajet, Smithsonian, "How Portraiture Gave Rise to the Glamour of Guns," 23 Mar. 2018
While frustration and anger could be found underlying much of the best work of this year's SXSW, more prevalent was self-preservation.

— todd martens, latimes.com, "In a time of political and social upheaval, artists at SXSW turned to self-preservation," 18 Mar. 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'prevalent.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

How Should You Use prevalent?

Many diseases that were prevalent a century ago have been controlled by advances in medicine. Smallpox was prevalent on several continents for many centuries, and when Europeans brought it with them to the Americas, it killed more American Indians than the armed settlers did. But prevalent doesn't just describe diseases. One ideal of male or female beauty may be prevalent in a particular society and quite a different ideal in another. In the 1950s and '60s, there was a prevalent notion that if you went swimming less than an hour after eating you might drown because of stomach cramps—which goes to show that not every prevalent idea is exactly true.