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pre·vail·ing
 prevailing
- pronunciation:
- prih
veI
lIng
| part of speech: |
adjective |
| definition 1: |
having widespread and dominant influence.
The miasma theory was the prevailing but incorrect explanation for the cause of cholera and other diseases.- synonyms:
- pervasive, predominant, prevalent, reigning, widespread
- similar words:
- common, conventional, current, general, governing, popular, principal, rife, ruling, standard, universal, usual
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| definition 2: |
in effect now.
The prevailing winds are westerly.The prevailing government is a dictatorship.- synonyms:
- actual, current, existent, present
- similar words:
- extant, occurring, prevalent
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| related words: |
actual, last, living, major, orthodox, predominant |
| derivation: |
prevailingly (adv.) |
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