incidence
noun
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The words incident, incidence, and instance may seem similar (and, in fact, incident and incidence are closely related), but they are not used identically. In current use, incidence usually means "rate of occurrence" and is often qualified in some way ("a high incidence of diabetes"). Incident usually refers to a particular event, often something unusual or unpleasant ("many such incidents go unreported"). Instance suggests a particular occurrence that is offered as an example ("another instance of bureaucratic bumbling"); it can also be synonymous with case ("many instances in which the wrong form was submitted"). The plural incidences sometimes occurs in such contexts as "several recent incidences of crime," but this use is often criticized as incorrect.
Examples of incidence in a Sentence
Andrew Herbert, Discover Magazine, 27 Apr. 2024
Sadly, because of habitat destruction and a high incidence of road collisions, the species is facing extinction.
—Elizabeth Warkentin, Travel + Leisure, 27 Apr. 2024
The most common cancer in the world The new report includes global data on cancer incidence and death from the Global Cancer Observatory, a World Health Organization database.
—Jacqueline Howard, CNN, 4 Apr. 2024
Recently, there has been a concerning increase in the incidence of colorectal cancer among individuals below the age of 50 over the last few decades.
—Dominique Fluker, Essence, 22 Mar. 2024
The high incidence of cancer stems from a mix of environmental and socioeconomic factors, like high levels of pollution, as well as lifestyle and dietary preferences.
—Astha Rajvanshi, TIME, 10 Apr. 2024
There is no data that indicates a biological reason for why young Black male athletes have a higher incidence of sudden cardiac arrest and death, Kim and Drezner say.
—Amanda Sealy, CNN, 7 Apr. 2024
However, the incidence of property crime is much higher, with about 2,223 crimes committed per 100,000 people, according to U.S. News.
—Nollyanne Delacruz, The Mercury News, 6 Apr. 2024
Bacterial pneumonia caused by S. pneumoniae and Legionella species has a high incidence of complications.
—Tanya Feke, Verywell Health, 4 Apr. 2024
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'incidence.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
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Cite this Entry
“Incidence.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/incidence. Accessed 3 May. 2024.
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