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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Recent Examples of pervasive
The great human cost involved in construction works, river maintenance, and canal building is a pervasive feature of all powerful societies right up to the modern era.
—
Vanessa Taylor, Big Think, 25 Sep. 2025
How to Protect Your Luggage From Bed Bugs From delayed flights to lost luggage, travel is already anxiety-inducing enough without adding these pervasive pests to the mix.
—Stacey Leasca, Travel + Leisure, 23 Sep. 2025
Hazing is a deeply entrenched and pervasive issue, representing a critical public health challenge in American higher education.
—Elizabeth Allan, San Diego Union-Tribune, 23 Sep. 2025
At a large technical university, a 2024–25 survey of more than 4,800 students showed that AI use was not only pervasive but also discipline-specific, especially in STEM fields where students relied on AI as both a research assistant and a study partner.
—Dr. Aviva Legatt, Forbes.com, 18 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for pervasive
Vanessa Taylor, Big Think, 25 Sep. 2025
How to Protect Your Luggage From Bed Bugs From delayed flights to lost luggage, travel is already anxiety-inducing enough without adding these pervasive pests to the mix.
—Stacey Leasca, Travel + Leisure, 23 Sep. 2025
Hazing is a deeply entrenched and pervasive issue, representing a critical public health challenge in American higher education.
—Elizabeth Allan, San Diego Union-Tribune, 23 Sep. 2025
At a large technical university, a 2024–25 survey of more than 4,800 students showed that AI use was not only pervasive but also discipline-specific, especially in STEM fields where students relied on AI as both a research assistant and a study partner.
—Dr. Aviva Legatt, Forbes.com, 18 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for pervasive
Recent Examples of Synonyms for pervasive
Adjective
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Another issue grabbing national attention is rising numbers of foreign residents and visitors, which has fueled widespread anti-foreigner sentiment that sometimes turns outright xenophobic.—
Jessie Yeung,
CNN Money,
3 Oct. 2025
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The Town of Campbell, outside of La Crosse, also discovered widespread PFAS contamination of private wells, likely stemming from the use of firefighting foam at the La Crosse Regional Airport, which inhabits a portion of the small island in between the Black and Mississippi Rivers.—
Madeline Heim,
jsonline.com,
2 Oct. 2025
Adjective
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Lawn chairs are permitted in the general festival areas.—
Haadiza Ogwude,
Cincinnati Enquirer,
5 Oct. 2025
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Financial advisors call this lifespan, or longevity, and is calculated individually by providing some general health and family history information.—
Medora Lee,
USA Today,
5 Oct. 2025
Adjective
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It’s long been used around east Asia as a health supplement, and is particularly prevalent in Korean hangover cures of which there are many.—
Sam Stone,
Bon Appetit Magazine,
29 Sep. 2025
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Those issues appear to be just as prevalent as the execution of the blocks themselves.—
Michael-Shawn Dugar,
New York Times,
29 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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Spooky season is officially in full swing and Nashville's nightlife scene is getting a haunted makeover with Halloween pop-up bars transforming familiar haunts into eerie, immersive experiences.—
Mackensy Lunsford,
Nashville Tennessean,
2 Oct. 2025
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For those who aren’t familiar, RedZone is the NFL broadcast that whisks viewers around the league to the best moments of every game on Sundays.—
Charlotte Wilder,
New York Times,
2 Oct. 2025
Adjective
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Dissent is nothing more than the expression of an opinion that varies from the prevailing or traditional view or the position held by those in power.—
Elizabeth Shackelford,
Twin Cities,
26 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Pervasive.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/pervasive. Accessed 7 Oct. 2025.
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