Are there some English words that you come across and immediately assume that you know what they mean? An example is the term “pervasive.” However, when you think more about this word, you will be surprised to know that there is something about pervasive definition and meaning you probably have no idea about.
“Pervasive” means “tend to pervade or spread throughout.” Use this word when describing something spreading through every part of a person, thing, or place. Use it also when talking about something that is penetrating or affecting everything.
Pervasive is widely used across multiple settings. So, it is vital to learn the various definitions and usage to apply the word in your sentences correctly. Read on to learn all the basics about this word.
What Is The Definition Of Pervasive?
Pervasive: Something or someone with a wide range, influence, or scope. Use the term to describe someone or something that is intensely stimulating or overpowering to some sense.
Examples in sentences:
- A pervasive odor was spreading throughout the city.
- I did not like the pervasive odor of garlic in the soup.
- All we could see was the pervasive despair among the oppressed villagers.
Other Meanings Of The Word Pervasive
Most English words have more than one meaning. So, it is vital to learn these meanings to understand the best way to use the term in your sentences. Here is a look at the various meanings of the word pervasive.
- Meaning 1: Not restrained or held back. Use this word when talking about someone or something you cannot easily control. A great example is a pandemic.
- Meaning 2: Something that is very strong in severity, intensity, and degree. Use the word to describe someone or something overpowering, consuming, or even devastating.
- Meaning 3: Use this word when talking about someone capable of getting conceptualized in broad instead of specific terms. You can use pervasive when describing something evident, systemic, or generalized.
- Meaning 4: In circulations or something ongoing or existing. Use the word to talk about things that are looming or happening.
What Part Of Speech Is Pervasive?
The English language has eight parts: speech nouns, verbs, adverbs, pronouns, adjectives, prepositions, conjunction, and interjection. These parts of speech indicate how the word functions in meaning and its grammatical role. Pervasive is an adjective which is a word that modifies or describes a noun. In most cases, an adjective will answer the question of which one, what kind, and how many.
What Type Of Word Is Pervasive?
All English words can make it into three categories; they can be positive, negative, or neutral. However, in some cases, you might find some words that are both positive and negative depending on how you use them in your sentences. The word pervasive is mostly negative since it describes things we do not want to spread throughout, like stench, problem, disease, or corruption. However, this type of word can also be in neutral or positive contexts. So, the usage depends on what you are describing.
What Is The Meaning Of Pervasive?
Pervasive (medical): In medical terms, pervasive, used as pervasive development disorder (PDD), is any condition characterized by early childhood onset and varying degrees of impairment of language, motor functions, behavior, or communication.
Here are example sentences:
- After the therapy, we saw a significant improvement in the child with a pervasive development disorder.
- Though the onset of the pervasive development disorder happens during infancy, the condition is not identified until the child is three years old.
Pervasive (computing): Also known as ubiquitous computing, it is a new trend associated with embedding microprocessors in day-to-day objects, allowing them to communicate information.
Words Linked To Pervasive
The English language has words linked together as synonyms, antonyms, or rhymes. Learning these words will help you improve your language. Here are the words linked to pervasive.
Synonyms
The English language has multiple connected words because they have the same or similar meanings. So, that means that most English words are not unique since they have similar meanings to other words. The synonyms of the word pervasive are;
- General
- Endemic
- Rife
- Comprehensive
- Deep
- Radical
- Major
- Profound
Antonyms
Antonyms are words that have the opposite meaning of another. However, you need to be careful with antonyms since if a word has more than one meaning, the antonyms might not apply to all those words. These are the antonyms of the word pervasive;
- Light
- Unfamiliar
- Unique
- Extraordinary
- Rate
- Limited
- Modest
- Defined
Rhymes of Pervasive
Rhymes are words that have the same similar sound at the end. The best way to figure out if the words have similar sounds at the end is by saying them out loud. Here are words that rhyme with pervasive.
- Negative
- Alternative
- Primitive
- Objective
- Massive
- Active
- Operative
- Descriptive
How To Use Pervasive In A Sentence
When something is pervasive, it means it is everywhere. It is a word commonly used when someone is talking about certain trends that seem to spread all over the place. One thing you need to note about this word is that it can have both negative or positive connotations depending on what and how you are talking about.
What are the Different Word Forms of Pervasive?
When learning a new word, also take the time to know the various word forms. Word forms are different ways a word can exist in a language context. Here are different word forms of the word pervasive that you can find as you go through various contexts.
Pervasive As a Noun
Nouns are words that identify a class of people, places, or things. The noun version of the word pervasive is “pervasion.” It means the act of pervading. The plural form of this word is pervasion or pervasions.
Example sentences:
- The pervasion of digital information motivates me to complete this research project.
- Gabriel’s pervasion of the truth made him believe that what he was doing was okay as long as he did not hurt anyone.
Pervasiveness is another noun meaning “the state or quality of being present in all the parts of a particular thing.” Here are examples in sentences:
- Given the pervasiveness of mobile phones in the modern world, it is impossible to find someone without these gadgets.
- Despite the pervasiveness, K.X.Y. has been a highly diverse movement that will bring change to society.
Pervasive As a Verb
Verbs are words that describe actions, states, or occurrences. It forms the main part of the predicate of sentences. Here are verb forms of the word pervasive.
- Pervade: To be in every part of or to spread through.
- Pervading: Present participle of pervade.
- Pervades: The third-person singular simple present indicative form.
- Pervaded: Simple past tenses and past participle of pervade.
- Pervading: Present particle of pervade.
Pervasive As an Adverb
Adverbs are words or phrases that modify and qualify an adjective or any other adverb or group of words. Pervasively is the adverb form of pervasive: It means in a persuasive manner.
Here are example sentences:
- Research is being embraced pervasively in all medical systems.
- A plumbing problem in the main house pervasively exists.
12 Examples Of Pervasive In A Sentence
After learning the different meanings of the word pervasive, it is time to start using it in your sentences. Here are ten sentence examples to help you learn more.
- The influence of her Christian parents is pervasive in her life.
- A sense of love and peace is pervasive in her books.
- The humidity level can sometimes be so pervasive that you might fail to notice.
- I believe alcohol is a pervasive problem among teenagers in this time and age.
- Despite all the problems, a pervasive lack of confidence has settled over the two institutions.
- This is the type of negative stereotype reinforced by pervasive media images.
- There is a pervasive belief that a killer is on the loose.
- Writers have many opportunities for content writer jobs online because such companies are pervasive online.
- We can only speculate whether this is another example of the pervasive influence of psychoanalytic thinking culture.
- This disclaimer addresses the pervasive sexism and the psychiatry sensitive to it.
- The influence of pressure groups and special interests will be more pervasive in the coming weeks.
- “Peace out” is pervasive in slang for saying “Good bye.”
How Do You Spell Pervasive?
The right spelling of this word is “P.E.R.V.A.S.I.V.E.”
Ensure that you have mastered the spelling of this word before you try to use it in your sentences. That will help you avoid an embarrassing mistake.
How Do You Pronounce Pervasive?
The pronunciation is IPA: /pəˈveɪ.sɪv/ or (Brit. Eng.) puh.vay.suhv. (Amer. Eng.) IPA: /pɚˈveɪ.sɪv/ and the American pronunciation is pr.vay.suhv.
How Many Syllables are in Pervasive?
The word pervasive has three syllables divided as per.va.sive. The stressed syllable is “va.”
History & Etymology of Pervasive
Pervasive comes from the Latin word “pervas,” which is the past participle of “pervadere,” meaning to go through. Over time, the meaning has transitioned to much more, including what we know today.
When Was Pervasive First Used?
The first use of the word pervasive was in 1750. Then, the word described something that existed or had spread to every part.
Conclusion
The word “pervasive” means spread throughout. It is a word with a Latin origin and one that is easy to spell and pronounce. Take the time to practice this word by reading the sentences discussed above. With the know-how of everything about the pervasive definition, meaning, and usage, you will have a lot of confidence when using the word.
Shawn Manaher is the founder and CEO of The Content Authority. He’s one part content manager, one part writing ninja organizer, and two parts leader of top content creators. You don’t even want to know what he calls pancakes.