Synonyms of prevailing

prevailing 1 of 2

adjective

1

as in conventional

accepted, used, or practiced by most people

the principal disagrees with the prevailing attitude toward corporal punishment

Synonyms & Similar Words

• conventional
• usual
• current
• customary
• prevalent
• standard
• popular
• going
• average
• normal
• stock
• widespread
• common
• ordinary
• universal
• everyday
• regular
• routine
• ubiquitous
• in
• fashionable
• epidemic
• accustomed
• wonted
• modish
• stylish

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• unusual
• extraordinary
• unpopular
• abnormal
• exceptional
• uncommon
• unconventional
• nonstandard

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

• general
• overall
• public
• popular
• predominant
• unanimous
• common
• majority
• present
• current
• usual
• received
• ruling
• dominant
• vulgar
• typical
• contemporary
• prevalent
• universal
• widespread
• familiar
• characteristic
• pop
• pervasive
• communal
• preponderant
• everyday
• rife
• well-known
• shared
• household
• pandemic

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• uncommon
• unusual
• unknown
• strange
• special
• rare
• individual
• peculiar
• unique
• unpopular
• distinctive
• separate
• personal
• private
• idiosyncratic
• especial
• singular
• nonpublic

prevailing

2 of 2

verb

present participle of prevail

1

as in winning

to achieve victory (as in a contest)

we shall prevail despite the overwhelming odds

Synonyms & Similar Words

• winning
• triumphing
• succeeding
• overcoming
• conquering
• contending
• sweeping
• kicking butt
• carrying the day
• squeaking
• vying
• romping
• squeezing
• breezing

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• losing
• failing
• collapsing
• struggling
• folding
• declining
• waning
• slipping
• washing out
• flopping
• floundering
• slumping

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

• surviving
• lasting
• persisting
• remaining
• continuing
• holding out
• going
• keeping up
• enduring
• holding up
• managing
• coping
• persevering
• lingering
• abiding
• stretching
• hanging in
• carrying on
• getting along
• getting on
• making out
• faring
• hanging on
• drawing out
• holding on
• running on
• getting by
• bearing up

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• failing
• going out
• running out
• dying
• breaking
• giving out
• stopping
• collapsing
• crashing
• expiring
• stalling
• breaking down
• cutting out
• waning
• fizzling
• petering (out)
• running down
• conking (out)

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of prevailing

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

After two months, unless cancelled at any time, DirecTV’s Movies Extra Pack + Peacock will renew monthly at the then-prevailing rate. — Erin Lassner, HollywoodReporter, 26 Sep. 2026

If the pope continues to challenge prevailing political and economic orthodoxies, some of that support may again prove contingent. — Colleen Dulle, Harpers Magazine, 22 Sep. 2026

There’s a prevailing belief that nonalcoholic cocktails should cost less than alcoholic ones. — Esther Tseng, Bon Appetit Magazine, 21 Sep. 2026

When he was hired in January, the prevailing thought was that the cerebral partnership between McDaniel and Herbert would prove a perfect match. — Los Angeles Times, 21 Sep. 2026

Regardless of the prevailing side, Uliana anticipates that another appeal to the Indiana Supreme Court could be in the future. — Jen Guadarrama, IndyStar, 21 Sep. 2026

Was the prevailing idea that enslaved people were sweet and innocent and docile and as giving and forgiving as Uncle Tom? — Christopher Arnott, Hartford Courant, 20 Sep. 2026

Mature organizations tend to have many policies, standards and approval processes; the key difficulty is keeping an eye on whether those expectations remain relevant to the prevailing situation. — Ramachander Rao Thallada, Forbes.com, 18 Sep. 2026

About 25 people voiced their opinions on the budget and tax rates, which have been prevailing topics in the Tarrant County judge race between Simmons and O’Hare. — Rachel Royster, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 15 Sep. 2026