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Prevalent vs. predominant: what’s the difference?

The short answer

While prevalent refers to something being widespread or commonly occurring, predominant implies being the strongest or main element, having a dominant influence.

What they have in common

Both prevalent and predominant describe something that is common, widespread, or holds influence over something else.

Examples

prevalent

  • Flu is prevalent during the winter season.
  • Electric vehicles are becoming more prevalent in urban areas.

predominant

  • The predominant language in Brazil is Portuguese.
  • Red is the predominant color in the design.

Which one is more common?

Internet search results for “prevalent” and “predominant”

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