C1noun3K

Incidence

UK /["/ˈɪnsɪdəns/"]/US /["/ˈɪnsɪdəns/"]/

Definition

the extent to which something happens or has an effect

In simple words: The occurrence of something, especially something bad.

Examples

  • an area with a **high incidence** of crime
  • The country had the lowest incidence of Covid cases proportional to its population.
  • The lack of vitamins may explain the higher incidence of heart disease.
  • There is a greater incidence of cancer in the families of radiation workers.
  • the highest recorded incidence of air pollution
  • the angle of incidence

Usage notes

Commonly used in scientific, medical, and statistical contexts. Avoid casual conversations, as it may sound overly technical. Appropriate when discussing rates or frequencies of events.

Grammar pattern

standalone noun

Memory hint

Think of 'in-cid-ence' as in how often something happens.

Collocations

  • great
  • high
  • peak
  • have
  • show
  • increase
  • increase
  • decrease
  • fall
  • rate
  • incidence among
  • incidence in
  • a decrease in the incidence of something
  • an increase in the incidence of something
  • a variation in the incidence of something

Synonyms

  • frequency
  • occurrence
  • rate
  • prevalence
  • occurrence rate

Antonyms

  • nonoccurrence
  • absence

Common mistakes

  • Confused with 'incident', which refers to a specific event.
  • Used inappropriately in informal contexts.
  • Incorrect pluralization, saying 'incidences' instead of 'incidents' when referring to events.