prevalence
noun
prev·a·lence
ˈpre-və-lən(t)s 
ˈprev-lən(t)s
1
: the quality or state of being prevalent
2
: the degree to which something is prevalent
especially
: the percentage of a population that is affected with a particular disease at a given time
Examples of prevalence in a Sentence
the prevalence of rumors when hard information is withheld from the public
Recent Examples on the Web
The Looming Healthcare Workforce Crisis The growing prevalence of chronic illness, the leading cause of death in the U.S., coupled with a shortage of healthcare workers, is straining the healthcare system.
—
Waqaas Al-Siddiq, Forbes, 7 Jan. 2025
Black and Hispanic people, who have higher rates of chronic diseases and are more likely to be uninsured, are also known to experience a higher prevalence of glaucoma, a disease that damages the optic nerve and is the leading cause of irreversible blindness.
—Michelle Marchante, Miami Herald, 2 Jan. 2025
The increase represents a return to the typical, pre-pandemic prevalence of whooping cough, which tended to surge in cyclical patterns of over 10,000 cases a year prior to the appearance of COVID-19.
—Sam Walters, Discover Magazine, 31 Dec. 2024
Patients with obesity only at the beginning of the study period had a higher prevalence of discontinuation at 12 months (50.3%) compared to those with only type 2 diabetes (35.8%) and those with both conditions (34.2%).
—New Atlas, 25 Dec. 2024
See all Example Sentences for prevalence 
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Waqaas Al-Siddiq, Forbes, 7 Jan. 2025
Black and Hispanic people, who have higher rates of chronic diseases and are more likely to be uninsured, are also known to experience a higher prevalence of glaucoma, a disease that damages the optic nerve and is the leading cause of irreversible blindness.
—Michelle Marchante, Miami Herald, 2 Jan. 2025
The increase represents a return to the typical, pre-pandemic prevalence of whooping cough, which tended to surge in cyclical patterns of over 10,000 cases a year prior to the appearance of COVID-19.
—Sam Walters, Discover Magazine, 31 Dec. 2024
Patients with obesity only at the beginning of the study period had a higher prevalence of discontinuation at 12 months (50.3%) compared to those with only type 2 diabetes (35.8%) and those with both conditions (34.2%).
—New Atlas, 25 Dec. 2024
See all Example Sentences for prevalence
Dictionary Entries Near prevalence
Cite this Entry
“Prevalence.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/prevalence. Accessed 18 Jan. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
prevalence
noun
prev·a·lence
ˈprev(-ə)-lən(t)s
1
: the state of being prevalent
2
: the degree to which something is prevalent
especially
: the part of a population that is affected with a particular disease at a given time
Medical Definition
prevalence
noun
prev·a·lence
ˈprev(-ə)-lən(t)s
: the percentage of a population that is affected with a particular disease at a given time compare incidence sense 2b
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