adjective
1. : having superior force or influence : efficacious
the prevailing doctrine of the age
2.
a. : most frequent
windows facing the prevailing wind
b. : generally current : common
adapted a loose structure of prevailing ideas to the needs of his own temperament — M.D.Geismar
Synonyms:
prevailing , prevalent , rife , current can apply to what is in general or wide circulation or use or what exists generally, especially in a given place or time. prevailing applies to what is predominant or widespread beyond others of its kind or class at a time or place indicated, implicit, or assumed to be the present
the prevailing point of view among farmers
the prevailing tendency to obliterate the dividing lines between all the arts — J.L.Lowes
the predominant English taste, the prevailing English authority, of his time — H.L.Mencken
anyone acquainted with the literature of the first decade after the war must have noticed a prevailing tone of disgust — C.D.Lewis
prevalent applies to what is general or common over a given area at a given time, stressing less than prevailing an implicit comparison with other things of the same kind or class
confined by the classical tradition still prevalent in their time — Huntington Hartford
a prevalent feature in these compositions was a nursed and petted melancholy — Mark Twain
this custom is similar to customs prevalent in different parts of Europe — K.D.Upadhyaya
the disease is most prevalent in countries where there are large populations of both sheep and dogs — L.K.Whitten
rife adds to prevalent the idea of great abundance or rapid spread by increase
when cutthroat competition was rife in most industries — Textbooks in Education
for slavery of all kinds was rife throughout the island — Alan Villiers
disease was once more rife in the herds — Farmer's Weekly (South Africa)
literary production is rife in Puerto Rico — R.M.Lovett
current applies especially to something that changes with time and implies existence or prevalence at the time specified or understood, chiefly the present
the present vogue of racialism in the West, however, has really little to do with current scientific hypotheses — A.J.Toynbee
caught in the drift of current social thinking — C.A. & Mary Beard
resisted the temptation to use phrases that are merely current usage — L.A.Weigle