incidence

nounHigh-frequency wordMore I words

the rate, frequency, or extent of occurrence of something, especially a disease or problem

Word origin: From Latin incidere, to fall upon or happen.

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In a sentence

Incidence in a sentence

Here are example sentences showing incidence in a sentence.

The incidence of diabetes has risen sharply in countries with increasingly sedentary lifestyles.

The study reported a rising incidence of the disease among adolescents over the past decade.

Synonyms

frequencyrateoccurrenceprevalence

Antonyms

rarityabsenceinfrequency

Usage & nuance

Using “incidence” well

Incidence refers to how often something occurs, especially a problem or disease. Do not confuse it with incidents, the plural noun for individual events.

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Common questions

Questions about “incidence”

Incidence (noun) means the rate, frequency, or extent of occurrence of something, especially a disease or problem

Here is incidence used in an example sentence: "The incidence of diabetes has risen sharply in countries with increasingly sedentary lifestyles." Another example: "The study reported a rising incidence of the disease among adolescents over the past decade."

Common synonyms for incidence include frequency, rate, occurrence, prevalence.

Antonyms of incidence include rarity, absence, infrequency.

Incidence clusters with frequency, rate, occurrence, and prevalence. Its antonyms rarity and infrequency mark the contrast; the homophone incidents is a common trap.

Yes. Incidence is a high-frequency GRE word, so it is worth prioritising as you build your vocabulary.

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