1
general::
common
if something is common, there are a lot of them:
• Jones is a very common name in Great Britain. • Foxes are common in the area. • Personal computers are nearly as common in American homes as televisions.
widespread
happening in a lot of places or done by a lot of people:
• Racism is much more widespread than people imagine. • The report claimed that the problem of police brutality was widespread. • the widespread availability of antibiotics
commonplace
[ not before noun ] especially written common in a particular place or time – used especially when saying that this seems surprising or unusual:
• Crimes such as robbery are commonplace in big cities. • Expensive foreign cars are commonplace in this Chicago suburb.
prevalent
formal common in a place or among a group of people – used especially about illnesses, problems, or ideas:
• Flu is most prevalent during the winter months. • Depression remains one of the most prevalent health disorders in the US. • This belief is more prevalent among men than women.
rife
[ not before noun ] very common – used about illnesses or problems:
• AIDS is rife in some parts of the world.
ubiquitous
formal very common and seen in many different places – often used humorously in written descriptions:
• He was carrying the ubiquitous MP3 player. • In Britain, CCTV cameras are ubiquitous.
something is everywhere
especially spoken used when saying that you can see something a lot in many different places:
• Images of the dictator were everywhere. • Microchips seem to be everywhere these days – even in washing machines. • One of the first things you notice in Amsterdam are the bicycles – they’re everywhere.
Longman-Thesaurus
2
general::
adj. happening/found often VERBS be, seem | become | remain ADV. extremely, very | increasingly | fairly, quite These problems now seem fairly common. shared VERBS be PREP. to This attitude is common to most young men in the armed services. PHRASES have sth in common Jane and I have nothing in common (= share no interests, ideas, etc.). I have nothing in common with Jane. The two cultures have a lot in common (= have the same features, characteristics, etc.). | hold sth in common They hold the property as tenants in common (= they share it). | in common with Britain, in common with (= like) many other industrialized countries, has experienced major changes over the last 100 years. showing a lack of education VERBS be, seem, sound I wish you wouldn't use that word?it sounds so common. ADV. very | a bit, rather, slightly I don't like Sandra. She seems a bit common to me.
Oxford Collocations Dictionary