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
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of prevailing
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
Richard Brody, New Yorker, 27 Mar. 2026
Publicly, the prevailing perception is that the Mavericks’ efforts to build a new arena by 2031 are moving at glacial pace.
—Brad Townsend, Dallas Morning News, 25 Mar. 2026
The prevailing sentiment in Berkeley appeared to be shifting at Tuesday night’s meeting, which stretched into the early hours Wednesday.
—Chase Hunter, Mercury News, 25 Mar. 2026
With that notable diversity, Spanish fiction is no longer framed internationally through one prevailing model, whether glossy thrillers, YA drama or the long tail of earlier crossover hits.
—Emiliano De Pablos, Variety, 24 Mar. 2026
Among passengers, the prevailing sentiment was one of broad political frustration.
—Nicole Sganga, CBS News, 24 Mar. 2026
In the closing seconds, McEnelly willingly took a pair of stall calls to avoid any further attacks, prevailing 4-3 and snapping Welsh’s 40-match win streak.
—Twin Cities, 22 Mar. 2026
Then comes along Hail Project Mary to upend the prevailing theory that the multiplex has become the dominion of sequels, threequels and endless franchise installments.
—Pamela McClintock, HollywoodReporter, 22 Mar. 2026
Ilko argues that the players’ respective physical features challenged the prevailing European system that emphasized whiteness.
—Andrew Paul, Popular Science, 19 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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 latter, a wry comedy of futile endeavor, was based on a story by Kiarostami, but Haghighi soon sought to shake off Kiarostami’s influence—and, even more, a prevailing caricature of Iranian cinema that Kiarostami’s style had given rise to.
—Richard Brody, New Yorker, 27 Mar. 2026
Publicly, the prevailing perception is that the Mavericks’ efforts to build a new arena by 2031 are moving at glacial pace.
—Brad Townsend, Dallas Morning News, 25 Mar. 2026
The prevailing sentiment in Berkeley appeared to be shifting at Tuesday night’s meeting, which stretched into the early hours Wednesday.
—Chase Hunter, Mercury News, 25 Mar. 2026
With that notable diversity, Spanish fiction is no longer framed internationally through one prevailing model, whether glossy thrillers, YA drama or the long tail of earlier crossover hits.
—Emiliano De Pablos, Variety, 24 Mar. 2026
Among passengers, the prevailing sentiment was one of broad political frustration.
—Nicole Sganga, CBS News, 24 Mar. 2026
In the closing seconds, McEnelly willingly took a pair of stall calls to avoid any further attacks, prevailing 4-3 and snapping Welsh’s 40-match win streak.
—Twin Cities, 22 Mar. 2026
Then comes along Hail Project Mary to upend the prevailing theory that the multiplex has become the dominion of sequels, threequels and endless franchise installments.
—Pamela McClintock, HollywoodReporter, 22 Mar. 2026
Ilko argues that the players’ respective physical features challenged the prevailing European system that emphasized whiteness.
—Andrew Paul, Popular Science, 19 Mar. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for prevailing
Adjective
-
In these environments, humanoid robots are expected to perform repetitive or physically demanding tasks that are difficult to automate using conventional industrial robots.—
Atharva Gosavi,
Interesting Engineering,
24 Mar. 2026
-
Unlike conventional computers, which store information as 0s and 1s, quantum computers use qubits, fundamental units of information that can exist in multiple states simultaneously, enabling them to perform calculations that would take conventional computers millions of years to complete.—
Etiido Uko
March 23,
New Atlas,
23 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
He was held at the Martin County Jail, though not with the general population.—
Melissa Gaffney,
CBS News,
28 Mar. 2026
-
The all-volunteer Planning Commission considers matters related to land-use planning and development, implements the city’s general plan, reviews development applications and serves as an intermediary between the public and the City Council.—
Phil Diehl,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
27 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Frederiksen's Social Democrats received the most votes and were seen winning 38 seats in Denmark's 179-seat parliament, results published early Wednesday showed, compared with 50 seats four years earlier.—
Sam Meredith,
CNBC,
25 Mar. 2026
-
The Knicks have feasted on a soft part of their schedule, beating Indiana twice, Utah, Brooklyn and Washington during the winning streak, which came entirely against teams with losing records.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
25 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Our team found that a hospital cyberattack cut the odds of surviving a cardiac arrest without devastating brain damage by nearly 90% at nearby hospitals, not just the one that was attacked.—
Jeffrey Tully,
Fortune,
26 Mar. 2026
-
This sighting suggests that the baby will likely live to adulthood after surviving its first year of life.—
Laura Baisas,
Popular Science,
26 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
Staffing shortages have forced some travelers to build in significantly more time before flights – sometimes hours more than usual.—
Nathan Diller,
USA Today,
23 Mar. 2026
-
February 19 – March 20 Home is where the heart is — that’s even more true than usual.—
Tarot.com,
Chicago Tribune,
23 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
The best Korean skin care for mature skin focuses on the exact things aging skin starts to lose—hydration, barrier strength, and overall balance.—
Christa Joanna Lee,
Allure,
25 Mar. 2026
-
The wider 256-bit memory interface also boosts memory bandwidth, which will improve overall performance.—
Michael Justin Allen Sexton,
PC Magazine,
25 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Brianna LeConti's younger brother Bryce had a wish granted in 2010, an experience that left a lasting impact.—
Aaron Parseghian,
CBS News,
22 Mar. 2026
-
The clumping foliage of this iris is also an attraction, and its vivid seeds in their pods are suitable for long-lasting dry arrangements.—
Joshua Siskin,
Oc Register,
21 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
With the transfer portal opening April 7, after the conclusion of the NCAA Tournament, Miller spoke as directly as possible to current 49ers players, who stood out in a room full of green and gold.—
Hunter Bailey,
Charlotte Observer,
26 Mar. 2026
-
Michael suggested that the current war with Hezbollah could be the last and is likely to continue until Katz’s objectives are accomplished.—
Brady Knox,
The Washington Examiner,
26 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Prevailing.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/prevailing. Accessed 28 Mar. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
