as in prevalence
the rate at which something happens
They found an increased incidence of crime in the city when social programs were cut.
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Recent Examples of incidence
Some forecasters are predicting that Northern California will see an above-normal incidence of significant fires due to the dryness of the vegetation, but the picture for Southern California is less clear.
—
Alex Wigglesworth, Los Angeles Times, 20 May 2026
Since then, there have been several high-profile incidences including Gregg Wallace and Russell Brand, both of whom also deny the allegations made against them.
—Max Goldbart, Deadline, 14 May 2026
Malaria incidence has increased, measles coverage remains below the threshold needed to prevent outbreaks, and maternal and child mortality decline is slowing, the report found.
—Claire Cameron, Scientific American, 13 May 2026
The study noted a potential, but rare, elevation in anaphylaxis incidence rates following 2023-2024 Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccination — affecting about 1 in 1 million people.
—Nathaniel Weixel, The Hill, 6 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for incidence
Alex Wigglesworth, Los Angeles Times, 20 May 2026
Since then, there have been several high-profile incidences including Gregg Wallace and Russell Brand, both of whom also deny the allegations made against them.
—Max Goldbart, Deadline, 14 May 2026
Malaria incidence has increased, measles coverage remains below the threshold needed to prevent outbreaks, and maternal and child mortality decline is slowing, the report found.
—Claire Cameron, Scientific American, 13 May 2026
The study noted a potential, but rare, elevation in anaphylaxis incidence rates following 2023-2024 Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccination — affecting about 1 in 1 million people.
—Nathaniel Weixel, The Hill, 6 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for incidence
Recent Examples of Synonyms for incidence
Noun
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This is why wastewater can give us a better picture of the prevalence of illnesses not always easily detected in a healthcare setting, said Bidwell, especially because most people recover at home without seeing a doctor or being formally diagnosed.—
Mary Walrath-Holdridge,
USA Today,
29 May 2026
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The point of diversity theory is to both compile a list of species and capture the prevalence of each.—
Gideon Yoffe,
The Conversation,
29 May 2026
Noun
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The poem persists both as a series of occurrences and as a solid object.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
29 May 2026
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The term simply refers to the uncommon occurrence of two full moons in one month.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
28 May 2026
Noun
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The letter also detailed drops in the quality of casework at DCF, including significant declines in the frequency of in-person visits with adults and children.—
Laura Tillman,
Hartford Courant,
2 June 2026
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To map this invisible chaos, the reSail team outfitted the Bow Olympus — a chemical tanker operated by Odfjell — with high-frequency LiDAR (Light Detection and Ranging) systems.—
Mrigakshi Dixit,
Interesting Engineering,
2 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Incidence.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/incidence. Accessed 7 Jun. 2026.
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