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

For Manar, one of the positives of football’s prevalence in Saudi Arabia is its capacity to act as a vehicle for equality. —Greg O'Keeffe, New York Times, 11 June 2026

Jones doesn't sort for prevalence. —Dr. Marcus Collins, Forbes.com, 11 June 2026

California election officials have acknowledged that the vote-counting process regularly takes longer in the Golden State due to the prevalence of mail-in ballots. —Natalie Neysa Alund, USA Today, 9 June 2026

This prejudice persists despite the high prevalence of herpes. —Lauren Schneider, Scientific American, 9 June 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