W. E. B. Du Bois
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English is rife with words that have Germanic connections, many of which have been handed down to us from Old English. Rife is one of those words. Not a whole lot has changed with rife in its long history. We continue to use the word for negative things, especially those that are widespread or prevalent. Examples are "shoplifting was rife" or "the city was rife with greed and corruption." Rumors and speculation are also frequently described as "rife." But rife can also be appropriately used for good or neutral things. For example, you might speak of the summer garden being "rife" with scents.
Synonyms
Examples of rife in a Sentence
Andre Gee, Rolling Stone, 22 Oct. 2024
Certainly, online misinformation has been rife in the run-up to the election, with much apparently coming from foreign governments and being amplified online.
—Emma Woollacott, Forbes, 12 Sep. 2024
Drug use is rife and addiction makes reoffending more likely.
—Harriet Marsden, theweek, 12 July 2024
Conjecture has been rife on social media about the meaning behind the street artist’s recent series of animals plastered around London over the last week.
—George Nelson, ARTnews.com, 11 Aug. 2024
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Dictionary Entries Near rife
Cite this Entry
“Rife.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/rife. Accessed 8 Nov. 2024.
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rife
adjective
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