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

What Happens Next Despite the prevalence of city living in 104 countries worldwide, towns remain the predominant type of settlement in several major high-income nations—including the United States, Germany, and Italy—as well as in many African countries, according to the report. —Micah McCartney, MSNBC Newsweek, 4 Dec. 2025

When the council approved that fee in 2019, it was intended as a way to reduce the prevalence of single-use plastics in Denver. —Elliott Wenzler, Denver Post, 4 Dec. 2025

And, importantly, there was no link between fluoride and the prevalence of neurodevelopmental conditions seen in children and adolescents. —New Atlas, 30 Nov. 2025

The post also detailed Ticketmaster’s analysis of The Art of Loving resale prevalence and how the refund process would work for those who were upsold. —Mankaprr Conteh, Rolling Stone, 27 Nov. 2025

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