What context can I use each word in?
Learn when and how to use these words with these examples!
rife
Example
The city was rife with crime and corruption. [rife: adjective]
Example
The office was rife with rumors about layoffs. [rife: preposition]
pervasive
Example
The pervasive influence of social media affects every aspect of our lives. [pervasive: adjective]
Example
The pervasive smell of smoke made it difficult to breathe. [pervasive: adjective]
Good things to know
Which word is more common?
Pervasive is more commonly used than rife in everyday language. Pervasive is a versatile word that can be used in various contexts, while rife is less common and tends to be used in more specific situations.
What’s the difference in the tone of formality between rife and pervasive?
Both rife and pervasive are formal words that are appropriate for use in academic or professional writing. However, pervasive may be slightly more formal than rife due to its Latin origin.
