prevailing

English

Alternative forms

• prævailing, prævaling (obsolete)

Etymology

By surface analysis, prevail +‎ -ing.

Pronunciation

• (US) IPA^(key): /pɹɪˈveɪ.lɪŋ/

• Audio (US):

  (file)

• Rhymes: -eɪlɪŋ

Adjective

prevailing (comparative more prevailing, superlative most prevailing)

1. Predominant; of greatest force.

   The prevailing opinion was for additional planning time.

   • 1700, [William] Congreve, The Way of the World, a Comedy. […], London: […] Jacob Tonson, […], →OCLC, Act II, scene ii, pages 19–20:

     He has a Humour more prevailing than his Curioſity, and will willingly diſpence with the hearing of one ſcandalous Story, to avoid giving an occaſion to make another, by being ſeen to walk with his Wife.

   • 1777, [Daniel Defoe], The Life and Most Surprising Adventures of Robinson Crusoe, […], 7th edition, London: […] S. Crowder, […]; J. Sewell, […]; W. Johnston, […]; and B. Law, […], →OCLC, pages 210–211:

     But they could never gain my conſent to put him to death, for the reaſons above mentioned, ſince it was an Engliſhman (even yourſelf) was my deliverer: And, as merciful counſels are moſt prevailing, when earneſtly preſſed, ſo I got them to be of the ſame opinion, as to clemency.

   • 1826, House of Commons of the United Kingdom, House of Commons Papers, volume 17, page 411:

     I have heard generally that alderman Archer has a more prevailing and powerful influence in the commons than any other alderman, and exercises that influence;

2. Prevalent, common, widespread.
   • 1829, James Annesley, Sketches of the Most Prevalent Diseases of India, page 247:

     Fever and dysentery are the most prevailing diseases in this division, more particularly the latter, which is one of the most destructive amongst the troops in India, and particularly so in the European constitution.

   • 1832, David Brewster, “Spain”, in The Edinburgh Encyclopaedia, volume 17, page 371:

     One of the most prevailing defects in this people is their invincible indolence, and hatred of labour, which has, at all times, paralysed the government of their best princes, and impeded the success of their most brilliant enterprises.

   • 1940, Australian Commonwealth Bureau of Census and Statistics, Official Year Book of the Commonwealth of Australia No. 33 - 1940, page 49:

     In Sydney at 9 am, by far the most prevailing wind is a westerly, particularly during the colder two-thirds of the year.

   • 1941 November, “Notes and News: The Centenary of Cook's”, in Railway Magazine, page 513:

     This world-wide travel organisation recently attained its centenary, and under happier conditions than those prevailing at the present time the event would doubtless have been celebrated worthily.

Synonyms

• (prevalent, common, widespread): pervasive, ubiquitous; see also Thesaurus:widespread

Derived terms

• prevailing party
• prevailing wind

Translations

predominant

• Bulgarian: преобладаващ (bg) (preobladavašt)
• Finnish: vallitseva (fi)
• German: herrschend (de)
• Greek: επικρατών (el) m (epikratón)
• Italian: prevalente (it), predominante (it)
• Norwegian:

  Bokmål: fremherskende (no)

• Spanish: prevaleciente (es)

Verb

prevailing

1. present participle and gerund of prevail