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pervasive

pervasive

66 7.1
Spreads through a place or group and affects many people
  • adjective
  • /pərˈveɪsɪv/
translation icon : generalizado
  • Nevertheless, the conflict between the one and the many is a pervasive feature of American life.
  • a pervasive influence
  • a pervasive sense
  • pervasive developmental disorder

Second thing is we've got this pervasive social media environment.

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Examples

  • Unionization has tended to be more pervasive in community colleges than in universities.

    Academic text (2011)
  • There's a fairly pervasive sense of denial about the status of women working in both television and film.

  • But this is pervasive and real and big in our lives.

  • The question is, how pervasive are they?

  • And so again, when I say vision is pervasive, it's everywhere.

  • I feel the loneliness, certainly a pervasive loneliness.

  • Conflict over water is pervasive, with water management organizations regularly managing conflicts between competing users.

    Academic text (2008)
  • Teachers and parents should avoid the pervasive gender stereotyping that is prevalent on television and other media.

    Academic text (2008)
  • Alzheimer's disease also is the result of a pervasive persistent metabolic problem.

  • Sexual harassment is pervasive in many workplaces, affecting employees across various levels.

Synonyms

widespread
vspervasive
256 3.6

Happening in many places or among many people

means broadly common without stressing unwelcome spreading action
rampant
vspervasive
84 6.5

Spreading quickly and not controlled, often about things like crime or rumours

implies wide unwelcome spread but less about steady penetration
prevalent
vspervasive
64 3.8

Common in many places or among many people at a certain time

refers to common presence rather than active unwelcome spreading
ubiquitous
vspervasive
51 9.0

Found in many places at the same time

expresses general everywhere presence rather than active unwelcome spread
predominant
vspervasive
20 4.8

More common or important than others in a group

highlights superiority or noticeability not necessarily spreading widely
omnipresent
vspervasive
13 7.7

Present everywhere at the same time

describes constant presence but not necessarily an unwelcome spread
permeating
vspervasive
5.8

Spreads through a place or thing and fills every part

is focused on unwelcome spread throughout people or areas
permeative
vspervasive
8.3

Spreading through a place or group and affecting everything there

describes wide unwelcome diffusion among people or places
permeant
vspervasive
  • Specialized
9.3

Spreading through every part of something, like a smell or feeling

emphasizes unwelcome spread among people rather than material penetration
disseminative
vspervasive
8.4

Likely to spread widely, for example news or disease

focuses on unwelcome widespread presence rather than spread method
prevailing
vspervasive
3.9

Most common at a certain time or in a certain place

denotes current dominance rather than a harmful spreading process

Antonyms

97 1.9

Having only a small, specific role in an activity

4.1

Kept from spreading or getting worse

How Widespread

ubiquitous
51 9.0
widespread
256 3.6
pervasive
66 7.1
occasional
285 2.8
rare
582 4.1

Surface Forms

pervasive positive
cleverer comparative
pervasest superlative

Morphology

pervasive = pervade (transparent) = pervade + ive

A regular adjective formed from the verb 'pervade' with the productive suffix '-ive', so the meaning 'tending to pervade' is directly derivable.

Etymology

Pervasive comes from Latin parts per- 'through' and vadere 'to go', the same idea behind invade. So if something is pervasive it 'goes through' an area or group and therefore spreads widely.