overly prevalent

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "overly prevalent" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to describe something that is excessively common or widespread. Example: "The use of plastic bags has become overly prevalent in our society, leading to significant environmental concerns."

✓ Grammatically correct

Science

News & Media

Formal & Business

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

60 human-written examples

In some ways, the world of short blogs and 140 characters is symbolic of the all too prevalent overly simplified analyses, and sensational headlines that might generation "likes" and "retweets," but do not bring us to a better understanding of people, communities or our history.

Huffington Post

The second correction (ST) adjusted for the total SNPs (10,012) and the six tests outlined above (pST α = 0.05/10012×6 = 8.3×10−7); however this correction is likely overly conservative since prevalent linkage disequilibrium between adjacent SNPs means loci are not independent.

Plosone

In general, the O/E analysis was overly sensitive, as both prevalent cases and cases reported without sufficient information to conclude on diagnosis certainty were included.

BMJ Open

Tire noise is prevalent, too.

The New York Times

Moreover, negative experiences were often reported to occur in the context of performance-based PA, which is often overly competitive and which is very prevalent in traditional methods of teaching of PE in Kosovo.

BioMed Research International

I tried to take free-spirited images, opposite to those tight-lipped, highly-constricted and overly-posed photos that are so prevalent".

Huffington Post

"Weight Gain 4000" also satirizes the obsession with celebrity prevalent among most Americans, particularly through the town's overly enthusiastic reaction to Kathie Lee Gifford's appearance.

Wikipedia

But the New York Times argues that a top-down management culture, prevalent across South Korea, may have contributed to the problem by leaving executives overly keen to impress their managers and meet deadlines.

MIT Technology Review

In general, outbreaks are more prevalent on poorer quality sites and where there are large populations of overly-dense, older trees (Fettig et al. [2007]).

Forest Ecosystems

If teachers are unaware of the misconceptions prevalent with students and do not take them into consideration when implementing instructional strategies, they may hold overly optimistic expectations of the effectiveness of their teaching (Lightman and Sadler [1993]).

Evolution: Education and Outreach

Overly harsh?

The New York Times

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "overly prevalent", consider the tone. It often carries a negative connotation, suggesting that the prevalence is undesirable or problematic. Ensure this aligns with your intended meaning.

Common error

While "overly prevalent" is acceptable, overuse in formal writing can make your tone seem less objective. Opt for synonyms like "excessively common" or "unduly widespread" for a more professional feel.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "overly prevalent" functions as an adverb-adjective combination modifying a noun. It indicates that something is excessively common or widespread. Based on the Ludwig AI, it suggests a degree beyond what is normal or desirable.

Expression frequency: Missing

Frequent in

News & Media

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Science

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Academia

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Less common in

Encyclopedias

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Formal & Business

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Wiki

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Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "overly prevalent" is a grammatically correct adverb-adjective combination used to describe something that is excessively common or widespread. It often carries a slightly negative connotation, suggesting that the prevalence is undesirable. Ludwig AI confirms that this phrase is usable in written English. While suitable for both formal and informal contexts, alternative phrases like "excessively common" or "unduly widespread" may be preferred in more formal writing. It is frequently used in News & Media and Science sources.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

overly common

A more direct and simpler alternative to "overly prevalent".

excessively common

Replaces "overly prevalent" with a more direct synonym, emphasizing the excessiveness of the commonality.

unduly widespread

Similar to "overly prevalent" but focuses on the inappropriate or unjustified extent of the spread.

excessively widespread

Similar to overly prevalent but focusing on the excessive extent of the spread

too common

Simple and direct, indicating that something is more common than desired.

rampant

A more concise term indicating something is spreading uncontrollably and is very common.

excessively pervasive

Emphasizes the extent to which something spreads and affects everything.

overabundant

Suggests there's too much of something, making it excessively common.

inordinately common

Implies something is common to an excessive degree, beyond what is normal or reasonable.

disproportionately frequent

Highlights an imbalance, suggesting something occurs more often than it should relative to other things.

FAQs

What does "overly prevalent" mean?

The phrase "overly prevalent" means something is excessively common or widespread, often to an undesirable degree.

How can I use "overly prevalent" in a sentence?

You can use "overly prevalent" to describe trends, behaviors, or phenomena that are excessively common. For example: "The use of plastic bags has become "excessively common", leading to environmental concerns."

What are some alternatives to "overly prevalent"?

Alternatives include "excessively common", "unduly widespread", "too common", or "rampant", depending on the specific nuance you want to convey.

Is "overly prevalent" formal or informal?

"Overly prevalent" is generally considered neutral in tone and can be used in both formal and informal contexts, although more formal alternatives like "unduly widespread" might be preferred in academic or professional writing.