1
as in conventional
accepted, used, or practiced by most people
the principal disagrees with the prevailing attitude toward corporal punishment
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in general
held by or applicable to a majority of the people
the prevailing custom here is to leave one's doors unlocked
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
as in winning
to achieve victory (as in a contest)
we shall prevail despite the overwhelming odds
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in surviving
to continue to operate or to meet one's needs
a custom that still prevails in many areas of Africa
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of prevailing
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
Harvesting seed nearby is a way to get plants that are genetically adapted to the prevailing environmental conditions and are more likely to thrive.
—Phil Diehl, San Diego Union-Tribune, 18 Jan. 2026
In the northern United States, enjoying the starry winter sky requires protection against the prevailing low temperatures.
—Joe Rao, Space.com, 16 Jan. 2026
The monthly stochastic oscillator remains in overbought territory ( > 80%), underscoring the strength of the prevailing bullish trend rather than signaling exhaustion.
—Katie Stockton, CNBC, 15 Dec. 2025
As municipal pools became mixed-gender in the 1920s and ’30s, swimming naked no longer fit prevailing notions of decency.
—Jacob Beckert, The Atlantic, 13 Nov. 2025
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
Joe Kinsey Outkick, FOXNews.com, 14 May 2026
This made the proceedings of the meeting— a discussion of financial crisis in the midst of extended financial stability— a vivid illustration of the tensions inherent in prevailing views about money.
—Literary Hub, 13 May 2026
That means that the prevailing narrative of homelessness being a choice, or that people come here purely for the services or the sunshine, is simply a myth.
—Robin Epley, Sacbee.com, 13 May 2026
The auditor’s office sets the prevailing wages based on studies of similar work within the region.
—Elliott Wenzler, Denver Post, 13 May 2026
The chair of the Israeli parliament’s Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee, Boaz Bismuth, reflected the prevailing view in a tweet following a classified briefing with senior military leaders.
—Tal Shalev, CNN Money, 12 May 2026
And justlikethat, this has been the prevailing headline in local news reports ever since as paranoia surges across social media.
—Kansas City Star, 9 May 2026
Much of the prevailing sentiment has been spurred by years of growing frustration with current measurement of TV audiences.
—Brian Steinberg, Variety, 9 May 2026
Read the full Semafor Intelligence findings on prevailing views from Semafor World Economy 2026 here.
—Rachel Keidan, semafor.com, 7 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
Harvesting seed nearby is a way to get plants that are genetically adapted to the prevailing environmental conditions and are more likely to thrive.
—Phil Diehl, San Diego Union-Tribune, 18 Jan. 2026
In the northern United States, enjoying the starry winter sky requires protection against the prevailing low temperatures.
—Joe Rao, Space.com, 16 Jan. 2026
The monthly stochastic oscillator remains in overbought territory ( > 80%), underscoring the strength of the prevailing bullish trend rather than signaling exhaustion.
—Katie Stockton, CNBC, 15 Dec. 2025
As municipal pools became mixed-gender in the 1920s and ’30s, swimming naked no longer fit prevailing notions of decency.
—Jacob Beckert, The Atlantic, 13 Nov. 2025
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
Verb
The prevailing thought is that White is referencing billionaire venture capitalist Joe Lacob, and his wife, Nicole Curran.
—Joe Kinsey Outkick, FOXNews.com, 14 May 2026
This made the proceedings of the meeting— a discussion of financial crisis in the midst of extended financial stability— a vivid illustration of the tensions inherent in prevailing views about money.
—Literary Hub, 13 May 2026
That means that the prevailing narrative of homelessness being a choice, or that people come here purely for the services or the sunshine, is simply a myth.
—Robin Epley, Sacbee.com, 13 May 2026
The auditor’s office sets the prevailing wages based on studies of similar work within the region.
—Elliott Wenzler, Denver Post, 13 May 2026
The chair of the Israeli parliament’s Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee, Boaz Bismuth, reflected the prevailing view in a tweet following a classified briefing with senior military leaders.
—Tal Shalev, CNN Money, 12 May 2026
And justlikethat, this has been the prevailing headline in local news reports ever since as paranoia surges across social media.
—Kansas City Star, 9 May 2026
Much of the prevailing sentiment has been spurred by years of growing frustration with current measurement of TV audiences.
—Brian Steinberg, Variety, 9 May 2026
Read the full Semafor Intelligence findings on prevailing views from Semafor World Economy 2026 here.
—Rachel Keidan, semafor.com, 7 May 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for prevailing
Adjective
-
Its goal was to commercialize early-stage technologies too risky for conventional finance.—
David H. Hsu,
Fortune,
11 May 2026
-
Wilson operated outside of conventional narrative, trusting in the magic of unexpected illogic.—
Classical Music Critic,
Los Angeles Times,
11 May 2026
Adjective
-
The Fields pairs highly adaptable facilities with expert, hands-on production support — a combination that general manager RoseMary Prodonovich says is designed to fuel creative endeavors.—
Kathy A. McDonald,
Variety,
15 May 2026
-
Husband is a genuinely excellent partner and a kind, funny, good person in general.—
Carolyn Hax,
Washington Post,
15 May 2026
Verb
-
The greatest clutch player in the history of the sport did it again, scoring the game-winning goal in a 2-1 victory to end the Frost’s dynasty run, and pushing Montreal to the first PWHL Walter Cup Finals in team history.—
Hailey Salvian,
New York Times,
13 May 2026
-
Despite winning a landslide election victory in July 2024, Labour’s popularity has sunk and Starmer is getting much of the blame.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
12 May 2026
Verb
-
Nearly all of the surviving health-care facilities in the northernmost area fell on the wrong side of the partition.—
Clayton Dalton,
New Yorker,
15 May 2026
-
Based on the remnants of the three surviving original examples, Todeschini’s weapon combines an incendiary mixture wrapped in flammable cloth that is then encased in pitch.—
Andrew Paul,
Popular Science,
14 May 2026
Adjective
-
The irony is that Ashby was the stand-in for France’s usual wing trimmer, the British sailor Leigh McMillan, who is still recovering from an injury at the Auckland SailGP event in February.—
Andrew Rice,
New York Times,
11 May 2026
-
But Brunson, as usual, was sublime, wrong-footing the 76ers over and over with his staccato moves and magnetized shots.—
Louisa Thomas,
New Yorker,
10 May 2026
Adjective
-
Xi nonetheless struck a more conciliatory tone when describing the overall relationship.—
Will Weissert,
Chicago Tribune,
14 May 2026
-
Sunflower seeds and walnuts are both nutrient-dense foods that support brain and overall health.—
Heather Jones,
Verywell Health,
13 May 2026
Verb
-
Both are durable, standing up to the summer heat and rains, often lasting well into late fall or early winter.—
Tom MacCubbin,
The Orlando Sentinel,
10 May 2026
-
Asked about Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, Putin said a meeting was possible only once a lasting peace deal was agreed.—
Reuters,
NBC news,
10 May 2026
Adjective
-
The Galaxy extended their current scoring streak to a league-best 22 straight matches when Gabriel Pec scored in the 89th minute for his 10th goal of the season.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
14 May 2026
-
Eating a large amount of fiber at once can cause gas and bloating, especially if your current diet is low in fiber.—
Kathleen Ferraro,
Verywell Health,
13 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Prevailing.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/prevailing. Accessed 17 May. 2026.
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