rife

[rahyf]

adjective

1. of common or frequent occurrence; prevalent; in widespread existence, activity, or use.

   Crime is rife in the slum areas of our cities.

2. current in speech or report.

   Rumors are rife that the government is in financial difficulty.

3. abundant, plentiful, or numerous.

   Synonyms: teeming, multitudinous, plenteous
   Antonyms: scarce

4. abounding (usually followed bywith ).

rife

/ raɪf /

adjective

1. of widespread occurrence; prevalent or current

   rumour was rife in the village

2. very plentiful; abundant

3. (foll by with) abounding (in)

   a land rife with poverty

Other Word Forms

• rifely adverb
• rifeness noun
• overrife adjective
• unrife adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of rife¹

before 1150; Middle English; Old English rīfe; cognate with Middle Dutch rijf abundant, Old Norse rīfr

Word History and Origins

Origin of rife¹

Old English rīfe ; related to Old Norse rīfr generous, Middle Dutch rīve

Example Sentences

Investors need to know how companies are planning to secure water in regions where droughts are rife, the report said.

Read more on Wall Street Journal

Whereas America’s litigious culture forces bona fide compliance with national and international law, Chinese companies are rife with fraud and theatrics.

Read more on Wall Street Journal

But other experts in a field where disagreement over our emergence on the planet is rife, say that the new study's conclusions are plausible but far from certain.

Read more on BBC

As a result, speculation about Mutharika's health is rife and there are questions about whether he has the stamina to lead Malawi again at the age of 85.

Read more on BBC

The agency ultimately identified about 13,600 properties, mostly single-family homes, that had been damaged or destroyed in the fire, and probably rife with hazardous materials.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• abundant 
• alive 
• plentiful 
• popular 
• prevalent 
• rampant 
• replete