1
as in conventional
accepted, used, or practiced by most people
the principal disagrees with the prevailing attitude toward corporal punishment
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in general
held by or applicable to a majority of the people
the prevailing custom here is to leave one's doors unlocked
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
as in winning
to achieve victory (as in a contest)
we shall prevail despite the overwhelming odds
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in surviving
to continue to operate or to meet one's needs
a custom that still prevails in many areas of Africa
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of prevailing
Katie Stockton, CNBC, 15 Dec. 2025
As municipal pools became mixed-gender in the 1920s and ’30s, swimming naked no longer fit prevailing notions of decency.
—Jacob Beckert, The Atlantic, 13 Nov. 2025
Dissent is nothing more than the expression of an opinion that varies from the prevailing or traditional view or the position held by those in power.
—Elizabeth Shackelford, Twin Cities, 26 Sep. 2025
Mercury News, 11 Jan. 2026
Political tension and industrywide uncertainty are the prevailing moods heading into Sunday night’s 83rd Golden Globes.
—Jake Coyle, Chicago Tribune, 11 Jan. 2026
In one afternoon, the prevailing stereotypes of underachieving Black boys and absentee Black fathers were irrelevant.
—Walter Fields, Baltimore Sun, 10 Jan. 2026
For every $100 million saved on insurance costs, builders could create 600 full-time prevailing wage jobs.
—Elizabeth Crowley, New York Daily News, 6 Jan. 2026
Champions Wildcard run after prevailing in last night’s quarterfinals.
—Jon Blistein, Rolling Stone, 6 Jan. 2026
This, at least, has been the prevailing view for much of the modern history of American commerce.
—Will Gottsegen, The Atlantic, 6 Jan. 2026
The prevailing theory at least, is that dormant electrical lines that stretch up and over Eaton Canyon … were electrified in the windstorm ahead of the fire breaking out in Altadena.
—Tonya Mosley, NPR, 5 Jan. 2026
Carolina and Kansas have played seven times in the NCAAs, with KU prevailing in five of the seven contests.
—Kansas City Star, 5 Nov. 2025
Adjective
The monthly stochastic oscillator remains in overbought territory ( > 80%), underscoring the strength of the prevailing bullish trend rather than signaling exhaustion.
—Verb
Political tension and industrywide uncertainty are the prevailing moods heading into Sunday night’s 83rd Golden Globes hosted by Nikki Glaser, a comic known for her roast appearances.
—Recent Examples of Synonyms for prevailing
Adjective
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That sentiment, while proclaimed in jest, captures a current appetite among many celebrities and fans alike to break away from conventional interviews in favor of more authentic and flavorful content.—
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Reports claimed that the KSOT is designed to provide a fast, efficient and effective solution to strengthen the Indonesia’s maritime combat capabilities, while complementing its existing fleet of conventional submarines.—
Adjective
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After setting a new standard for the organization in 2025, general manager Dan Morgan, head coach Dave Canales and their respective staffs need to raise the bar even higher.—
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Daniel McFadin is a general assignment reporter who has been with the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette since October 2022.—
Verb
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Bregman played his first nine seasons with the Houston Astros, winning World Series titles in 2017 and 2022 — although the first of those yielded a sign-stealing scandal that earned Bregman and his teammates plenty of scorn.—
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Miami is just 7-15 against teams with a winning record this season.—
Verb
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Eighty-seven years after surviving the terror of Kristallnacht, a 101-year-old Holocaust survivor says the world today feels alarmingly similar to Nazi Germany in 1938.—
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The surviving members of Soundgarden — Matt Cameron, Kim Thayil, Ben Shepherd, and founding bassist Hiro Yamamoto — were present for the induction.—
Adjective
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As usual, Coon thrives in ambiguity, layering a seemingly straightforward woman with depth.—
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As a result, Musick elected to bench her usual rotation for much of the second half.—
Adjective
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Rheinmetall revealed that the technology will reduce the production costs of green hydrogen through lower investment in the overall system, accompanied by a doubling of power density or an improvement in efficiency of over 10%.—
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Other critics have given mixed reviews of the new Big Arch sauce, which some say doesn't compare to the classic Big Mac version, as well as the overall flavor.—
Verb
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The declaration was adopted in Paris by the Coalition of the Willing and sets out what leaders said was a framework for lasting peace between Ukraine and Russia, set in international law and the principles of the United Nations Charter.—
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The image of Gobert fumbling with the ball and having his shot attempt rim out has been a lasting one.—
Adjective
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Act fast to shop Amazon’s current hottest deals because prices aren’t guaranteed to last through the month.—
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The ardent fan can’t expect this running game to produce 164 yards in its current state; the reasonable fan of any NFL team can’t expect to go 10-for-18 on third- and fourth-downs, either.—
Cite this Entry
“Prevailing.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/prevailing. Accessed 12 Jan. 2026.
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