The Right Word

THE RIGHT WORD

Wildflowers might be prevalent in the mountains during the spring months, but a particular type of wildflower might be the prevailing one. Prevalent, in other words, implies widespread occurrence or acceptance in a particular place or time (: a prevalent belief during the nineteenth century), while prevailing suggests that something exists in such quantity that it surpasses or leads all others in acceptance, usage, or belief (: the prevailing theory about the evolution of man).

Wildflowers might also be abundant in the valleys—a word that, unlike prevalent and prevailing, is largely restricted to observations about a place and may suggest oversupply (: an abundant harvest; indications of decay were abundant).

Plentiful, on the other hand, refers to a large or full supply without the connotations of oversupply (: a country where jobs were plentiful).

If wildflowers are rife, it means that they are not only prevalent but spreading rapidly (: speculation was rife among the soldiers).

If they're copious, it means they are being produced in such quantity that they constitute a rich or flowing abundance (: weep copious tears).

What often happens, with wildflowers as well as with other beautiful things, is that they become so abundant they are regarded as common, a word meaning usual or ordinary (: the common cold).

Like prevalent, common can apply to a time as well as a place (: an expression common during the Depression). But neither abundant nor common connotes dominance as clearly as prevalent does.