PREVAILING Synonyms: 141 Similar and Opposite Words

prevailing 1 of 2

adjective

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

as in general

held by or applicable to a majority of the people the prevailing custom here is to leave one's doors unlocked

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

prevailing

2 of 2

verb

present participle of prevail

as in winning

to achieve victory (as in a contest) we shall prevail despite the overwhelming odds

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in surviving

to continue to operate or to meet one's needs a custom that still prevails in many areas of Africa

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Recent Examples of prevailing

Adjective

The group noted the projection was revised upward from an earlier estimate owing to an additional year in the budget window and higher prevailing interest rates. — Nick Lichtenberg, Fortune, 2 Apr. 2026 Likewise, prevailing concepts of Hamlet at the time cast the prince as a wan and melancholic, leading critics to bristle at Bernhardt’s energy. — Betsy Golden Kellem, JSTOR Daily, 18 Mar. 2026 Harvesting seed nearby is a way to get plants that are genetically adapted to the prevailing environmental conditions and are more likely to thrive. — Phil Diehl, San Diego Union-Tribune, 18 Jan. 2026 In the northern United States, enjoying the starry winter sky requires protection against the prevailing low temperatures. — Joe Rao, Space.com, 16 Jan. 2026 The monthly stochastic oscillator remains in overbought territory ( > 80%), underscoring the strength of the prevailing bullish trend rather than signaling exhaustion. — 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

Verb

At prevailing wages, this uncompensated labor is worth $430 billion a year. — Literary Hub, 26 Aug. 2026 There is this prevailing reality that in all sorts of negotiations, deadlines create pressure and movement. — Evan Drellich, New York Times, 26 Aug. 2026 But this is an object lesson in how to densify an already-dense Lincoln Park neighborhood without breaking the prevailing residential scale. — Edward Keegan, Chicago Tribune, 23 Aug. 2026 Heirs can sell at prevailing prices and not owe taxes on any of the appreciation that occurred during the previous owner’s lifetime. — Bob Carlson, Forbes.com, 23 Aug. 2026 Stadium worker wages Sherman said the team’s commitment also includes providing prevailing wages to the stadium operations workers, including concessions and custodial workers. — Dylan Lysen, Kansas City Star, 20 Aug. 2026 Carney was known as a diplomat who not only spoke his mind, but was unafraid to challenge prevailing assumptions. — Jacqueline Charles, Miami Herald, 17 Aug. 2026 The prevailing idea is that summer break is a holdover from days when children were needed to help out on farms in rural communities. — Matthew Adams, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 16 Aug. 2026 The defendants also argue that Banks cannot show a probability of prevailing on her state law claims. — ABC News, 15 Aug. 2026

Recent Examples of Synonyms for prevailing

Adjective

The result is a motorcycle that looks considerably more like a conventional competition dirt bike than some of the smaller electric machines that have appeared in recent years.

— New Atlas, New Atlas, 2 Sep. 2026
The approach helps explain markets such as Armenia, which would not necessarily rank near the top of a conventional fashion brand’s expansion list.

— Rhonda Richford, Footwear News, 1 Sep. 2026

Definition of conventional

Adjective

Shelley served as the Warriors’ associate general counsel and director of business and legal affairs and risk management, and Vasquez was the vice president of diversity, equity and inclusion.

— Devon Henderson, New York Times, 2 Sep. 2026
The Israel Defense Forces captured Hamas' head of general security during a raid in Gaza, Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz said.

— Anders Hagstrom, FOXNews.com, 1 Sep. 2026

Definition of general

Verb

All the drama from last week’s showdown with the season-21 designers is resolved by season 22 winning the unconventional-materials challenge.

— Roxana Hadadi, Vulture, 28 Aug. 2026
The screenplay placed second in the horror category at the 2025 Slamdance Screenplay Competition, winning Filmmatic’s Horror/Thriller Screenplay Awards, and selected for the 2026 Grey List.

— Andreas Wiseman, Deadline, 27 Aug. 2026

Definition of winning

Adjective

Immediately, Zack-Carlos goes back to reasserting his presence in the house, eager to stay as long as possible and be his usual insufferable self.

— Ben Rosenstock, Vulture, 28 Aug. 2026
For cats that need a larger calorie reduction, Yeo said a veterinary weight-management diet may be safer than simply serving much less of their usual food because it is formulated to provide adequate nutrients with fewer calories.

— Lauren Paige Richeson, USA Today, 28 Aug. 2026

Definition of usual

Adjective

The Cowboys addressed that Saturday by trading a third-round pick and a sixth-round pick to the Pittsburgh Steelers for offensive tackle Broderick Jones, who was the 14th overall pick in 2023, and a fourth-round pick.

— Jon Machota, New York Times, 31 Aug. 2026
But the almost yearlong closure seems to be having an effect — overall attendance at the downtown library is down 31%.

— Idaho Statesman, Idaho Statesman, 30 Aug. 2026

Definition of overall

Verb

Connection, wellbeing, and growth are foundational at Patina, shaping experiences that leave lasting impressions which resonate well beyond your stay.

— Condé Nast Traveler, Condé Nast Traveler, 30 Aug. 2026
In return, Imax gets a percentage of the box office over a long-term contract, typically lasting at least 10 years.

— Kamaron McNair Juhohn Lee, CNBC, 29 Aug. 2026

Definition of lasting

Adjective

According to the International Energy Agency, global small modular reactor capacity could reach roughly 40 GW by 2050 under current policies, or as much as 120 GW under an accelerated scenario.

— Kaif Shaikh, Interesting Engineering, 29 Aug. 2026
The longer the current situation continues, the greater the strain on an economy already struggling with shortages, inflation and restrictions on trade.

— Hamidreza Azizi, Time, 29 Aug. 2026