prevalence

USAGE SUMMARY

The word "prevalence" is correct and usable in written English.
It is used to refer to the widespread existence of something. For example, "The prevalence of violent video games among teenagers has increased greatly in recent years."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Formal & Business

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

But some US experts – including Harvard's Larry Summers, a former US treasury secretary – have warned that America will struggle to achieve a robust, sustainable recovery because the prevalence of insecure, low-wage jobs means that consumer demand will continue to be weak: a theory known as "secular stagnation".

The Guardian - Business

Allan Hogarth, Amnesty's UK head of policy and government affairs, said: "Amnesty has serious concerns about Saudi Arabia's justice system, given its use of the death penalty, the prevalence of torture in detention, and its use of cruel and degrading punishment.

The Guardian

In their study, three diseases did not show lower levels of prevalence on coral within reserves.

The Guardian

At the end of the programme in 2011, national prevalence of schistosomiasis had been reduced from 12% to 1.4%.

The Guardian

Armstrong said climate change had the potential to affect health directly through heatwaves and extreme weather, and indirectly through increases in the prevalence of certain diseases if, for example, public sanitation was compromised due to floods.

The Guardian

Their instructions, when it comes to the magazine, is to follow their passions, which in the past few weeks has seen Barbara Ellen's extraordinary interview with Antony Hegarty, Emma John's search for love online and Will Storr's exposé of the prevalence of male rape in war.

The Guardian

In fact, this figure originally derives from World Health Organisation and Unicef estimates, some dating back to the 1990s, from "sources of variable quality", about the prevalence of the practice in various African countries.

The Guardian - Opinion

These figures have then been extrapolated, some assuming there is the same potential prevalence among under-16 girls from those countries now living in the UK.

The Guardian - Opinion

The prevalence figures for domestic violence and abuse set out in a report by the Early Intervention Foundation last week remind us that this is far from a historical matter.

The Guardian - Opinion

For this reason it has been suggested that academic institutions benchmark the nature and prevalence of bullying behaviours, while providing education and guidelines designed to reinstate the more collegial culture that academia may have lost.

The Guardian

But he confessed to qualms about "some manifestations of Islam in this country which have been harmful", including "the prevalence of rather too many mosques, I think.

The Guardian

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When discussing diseases or conditions, use "prevalence" to refer to the total number of existing cases, distinguishing it from "incidence", which refers to new cases. For example, prefer "the prevalence of diabetes" over less formal alternatives when writing medical content.

Common error

Avoid using "prevalence" when you actually mean "incidence". "Prevalence" refers to the proportion of a population with a condition at a specific time, while "incidence" refers to the rate at which new cases occur. Using them interchangeably can lead to misunderstandings, especially in scientific and medical contexts.

Linguistic Context

The word "prevalence" functions as a noun, typically used to denote the extent to which something exists or is common in a particular group or area. It often serves as the subject or object of a sentence, as shown by Ludwig.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

51%

Science

42%

Formal & Business

7%

Less common in

Academia

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "prevalence" is a noun that refers to how common something is, particularly in formal or scientific contexts. Ludwig AI confirms it’s grammatically correct and widely used, especially in news and scientific reporting. When using the term, ensure you're referring to existing cases or occurrences at a specific time, rather than new instances (incidence). It's a versatile word for describing the extent of many things, from diseases to social issues.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

pervasiveness

Stresses how deeply or thoroughly something is spread or felt, implying a strong influence.

widespread occurrence

Focuses on the breadth of the occurrence, shifting from the state of being common to the act of occurring widely.

ubiquity

Implies that something is present everywhere, often used to describe things that are very common or unavoidable.

commonness

Emphasizes the ordinary or usual nature of something, rather than its sheer quantity or extent.

frequency of occurrence

Highlights how often something happens, quantifying the occurrence rather than describing its overall presence.

extent

Focuses on the range or scope of something, often used when discussing the degree to which something affects an area or population.

dominance

Suggests that something is not only common but also powerful or controlling in a particular context.

degree of diffusion

Centers on how something spreads out, particularly useful in discussing the spread of ideas, diseases, or technologies.

rate of incidence

More specific to the number of new cases of a condition within a period, which changes the focus to new occurrences, not existing state.

common knowledge

Implies that something is widely known and accepted, emphasizing awareness rather than mere existence.

FAQs

How is "prevalence" typically used in a sentence?

The word "prevalence" is used to describe how widespread something is. For example, you might say, "The "prevalence of obesity" is increasing in many developed countries".

What's the difference between "prevalence" and "incidence"?

"Prevalence" refers to the proportion of a population that has a specific condition at a particular time, while "incidence" refers to the rate at which new cases of a condition occur over a period. In short, prevalence is a snapshot, and incidence is a rate of new occurrences.

What are some synonyms for "prevalence"?

Some synonyms for "prevalence" include "widespread occurrence", "commonness", "pervasiveness", and "frequency". The best choice depends on the specific context.

In what contexts is the word "prevalence" most appropriate?

The word "prevalence" is best suited for formal and scientific contexts when discussing the widespread existence of something, especially diseases, conditions, or behaviors. It is commonly used in research papers, medical reports, and public health discussions.