as in widespread
existing in every part of something; spreading to all parts of something
A pervasive smell filled the room. the pervasive nature of the problem
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of pervasive
This responsive aspect of machine-readable images makes surveillance not only more pervasive but also more effective, enabling machine systems to extract value from human users at greater scale and with greater precision than previously possible.
—
Louis Bury, ARTnews.com, 1 May 2026
The Court held that the Federal Communications Commission’s actions were justified because of the government’s interest in protecting children from offensive material and because broadcast media are uniquely pervasive and also uniquely accessible to children.
—Encyclopedia Britannica, 29 Apr. 2026
The swearing is certainly not pervasive, though, and only occurs here and there; there are large stretches of the film that are totally clean language-wise.
—Brendan Morrow, USA Today, 23 Apr. 2026
The junk food is so pervasive that its consumption made up almost 20 percent of the time that the monkeys spent eating.
—Adam Kovac, Scientific American, 22 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for pervasive
Louis Bury, ARTnews.com, 1 May 2026
The Court held that the Federal Communications Commission’s actions were justified because of the government’s interest in protecting children from offensive material and because broadcast media are uniquely pervasive and also uniquely accessible to children.
—Encyclopedia Britannica, 29 Apr. 2026
The swearing is certainly not pervasive, though, and only occurs here and there; there are large stretches of the film that are totally clean language-wise.
—Brendan Morrow, USA Today, 23 Apr. 2026
The junk food is so pervasive that its consumption made up almost 20 percent of the time that the monkeys spent eating.
—Adam Kovac, Scientific American, 22 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for pervasive
Recent Examples of Synonyms for pervasive
Adjective
-
While OpenAI was created as a nonprofit designed to responsibly harness the power of the emerging artificial intelligence technology, the company created a for-profit subsidiary in 2019 and three years later released ChatGPT, which jumpstarted widespread adoption of the technology.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
12 May 2026
-
There was widespread fear of measles causing blindness, which had indeed happened to a young family acquaintance.—
Fran Moreland Johns,
The Atlantic,
11 May 2026
Adjective
-
Bus lanes there are physically separated from general traffic.—
David Garrick,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
9 May 2026
-
While general manager Jeff Pagliocca has been quick to trade high draft picks in the past, the front office still has a desire to build through the draft — and has not been successful in that endeavor.—
Julia Poe,
Chicago Tribune,
8 May 2026
Adjective
-
The condition is not uncommon and somewhat prevalent in certain breeds like various Spaniels, certain Hounds, some Retrievers, and some giant dog breeds.—
Dr. John De Jong,
Boston Herald,
10 May 2026
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What they’re mixed on, however, is whether the substance is particularly overlooked or prevalent in Los Angeles.—
Karen Garcia,
Los Angeles Times,
9 May 2026
Adjective
-
Many of the precautions a traveler could take are similar to those that became familiar at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic.—
Eve Chen,
USA Today,
8 May 2026
-
Details about the underlying allegation remain murky, but the department sources familiar with the matter said the LAPD’s secretive Special Operations Division tailed officers who were under investigation.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
8 May 2026
Adjective
-
The group noted the projection was revised upward from an earlier estimate owing to an additional year in the budget window and higher prevailing interest rates.—
Nick Lichtenberg,
Fortune,
2 Apr. 2026
-
Likewise, prevailing concepts of Hamlet at the time cast the prince as a wan and melancholic, leading critics to bristle at Bernhardt’s energy.—
Betsy Golden Kellem,
JSTOR Daily,
18 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Pervasive.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/pervasive. Accessed 12 May. 2026.
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