INDEX:
1. when there are a lot of something
2. when something happens a lot
RELATED WORDS
opposite
↑ RARE/RARELY
↑ UNUSUAL
see also
↑ USUALLY
↑ LOT
↑ OFTEN
↑ TYPICAL
↑ CONVENTIONAL/UNCONVENTIONAL
↑ NORMAL/ORDINARY
↑ UNUSUAL
↑ SPECIAL
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1. when there are a lot of something
▷ common /ˈkɒmənǁˈkɑː-/ [adjective]
if something is common, there are a lot of them and they are not unusual :
▪ Jones is a very common name in Great Britain.
▪ Foxes are common in the area.
▪ Personal computers are nearly as common in American homes as televisions.
▷ be everywhere /biː ˈevriweəʳ/ [verb phrase]
to be extremely common and be seen in many different places :
▪ Images of the dictator were everywhere.
▪ Microchips seem to be everywhere these days -- even in washing machines.
▪ One of the first things you notice in Beijing are the bicycles - they’re everywhere.
▷ commonplace /ˈkɒmənpleɪsǁˈkɑː-/ [adjective not before noun]
things that are commonplace exist in large numbers so that they are not considered to be special or unusual even though in other places they may be much less common :
▪ Superstores such as Wal-Mart are now commonplace in America’s small towns.
▪ Expensive foreign cars are commonplace in this Chicago suburb.
▷ be ten a penny British /be a dime a dozen American /biː ˌten ə ˈpeni, biː ə ˌdaɪm ə ˈdʌz ə n/ [verb phrase] informal
to be very common in a particular area and therefore not be considered special or unusual :
▪ Jobs like this are a dime a dozen.
▪
2. when something happens a lot
▷ common /ˈkɒmənǁˈkɑː-/ [adjective]
happening often or in a lot of places :
▪ It’s a common mathematical error.
▪ Petty theft and pickpocketing are becoming increasingly common in the city centre.
▪ Many of the more common forms of cancer can be treated successfully if detected early.
common among
▪ The condition is most common among women aged 18 to 24.
it is common for something to happen/somebody to do something
▪ It’s very common for older children to feel jealous after the birth of a baby.
commonly [adverb]
▪ Computers are now commonly used in language learning.
▷ widespread /ˈwaɪdspred/ [adjective]
happening in a lot of places or done by a lot of people :
▪ Racism is much more widespread than people imagine.
▪ The report claimed that the problem of police brutality was widespread.
▪ Thanks to the widespread availability of antibiotics diseases such as typhoid have largely been eradicated.
▷ commonplace /ˈkɒmənpleɪsǁˈkɑː-/ [adjective not before noun]
happening very often, and therefore not considered to be special or unusual :
▪ Nudism on beaches has long been commonplace in Europe.
▪ Organ transplants are now commonplace.
increasingly commonplace
▪ It used to be rare to see young people sleeping on the streets of London -- these days it’s become increasingly commonplace.
▷ be rife /biː ˈraɪf/ [verb phrase]
if bad behaviour such as stealing or violence is rife in a particular area it happens very often there :
▪ Political corruption was rife in those days.
something is rife with something
▪ A place like Hollywood is always rife with gossip.
▪ The schools are rife with drug abuse.
▷ prevalent /ˈprevələnt/ [adjective] formal
a problem, idea, or type of behaviour that is prevalent in one place, time, or group of people is common there :
▪ Flu is most prevalent during the winter months.
▪ Depression remains one of the most prevalent health disorders in the US.
▪ This belief is more prevalent among men than women.
▷ pervasive /pəʳˈveɪsɪv/ [adjective]
problems, behaviour, or situations that are pervasive are very common and are spreading to more and more people or areas so that they are impossible to prevent :
▪ Violence and crime are pervasive features of city life.
▪ She argues that sexual discrimination remains a pervasive element in corporate culture.
all-pervasive
extremely pervasive
▪ the all-pervasive influence of television