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

Synonyms

• commonness
• frequence
• frequency
• frequentness

Examples of prevalence in a Sentence

the prevalence of rumors when hard information is withheld from the public

Recent Examples on the Web

In 2017, such was the prevalence of an all-male poster of Ireland’s writers that the Irish Times felt compelled to create its own version featuring award-winning female best-sellers. —Kathy Rose O'Brien, CNN, 6 Mar. 2025

The Legacy Of Fragmented Tools One of our most revealing insights, echoed by IDC's 2023 North American Tools/Vendors Consolidation Survey, is the prevalence of fragmented toolsets. —Aviv Mussinger, Forbes, 6 Mar. 2025

But inflation continues to be a persistent problem, with some economists predicting tariffs could raise prices more, and the cost of eggs have skyrocketed amid the prevalence of avian flu. —Alexandra Hutzler, ABC News, 4 Mar. 2025

Malls have long been falling out of prevalence, with almost 25 percent of America's largest anticipated to close by 2027, according to research from real estate services firm Green Street Advisors. —Ross Rosenfeld, Newsweek, 26 Feb. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1682, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for prevalence

• benevolence
• malevolence
• seroprevalence

Kids 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