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- Dictionaryrife/rʌɪf/
adjective
- 1. (especially of something undesirable) of common occurrence; widespread: "male chauvinism was rife in medicine" Similar Opposite
adverb
- 1. in an unchecked or widespread manner: "speculation ran rife that he was an arms dealer"
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RIFE definition: 1. If something unpleasant is rife, it is very common or happens a lot: 2. full of something…. Learn more.
1. : prevalent especially to an increasing degree. suspicion and cruelty were rife W. E. B. Du Bois. 2. : abundant, common. 3. : copiously supplied : abounding usually used with with. rife with rumors. rife adverb. rifely adverb. Did you know?
Rife definition: of common or frequent occurrence; prevalent; in widespread existence, activity, or use. See examples of RIFE used in a sentence.
If you say that something, usually something bad, is rife in a place or that the place is rife with it, you mean that it is very common. Speculation is rife that he will be sacked. Bribery and corruption were rife in the industry.
rife (with something) full of something bad or unpleasant. Los Angeles is rife with gossip about the stars' private lives.
Use the adjective rife to mean "full of" or "widespread," especially when you're talking about something negative. If the lifeguard says the water is rife with jellyfish, you're not going to want to swim in it.
Define rife. rife synonyms, rife pronunciation, rife translation, English dictionary definition of rife. adj. rif·er , rif·est 1. In widespread existence, practice, or use; increasingly prevalent. 2. Abundant or numerous. American Heritage® Dictionary of the...
Something unpleasant that is rife is very common: Rumours were rife that the band would split up. (Definition of rife from the Cambridge Learner's Dictionary © Cambridge University Press)
Rife definition: In widespread existence, practice, or use; increasingly prevalent.
What does the word rife mean? There are 24 meanings listed in OED's entry for the word rife, 15 of which are labelled obsolete. See ‘Meaning & use’ for definitions, usage, and quotation evidence. See meaning & use. How common is the word rife? About 1 occurrence per million words in modern written English. See frequency.
