incidence
noun
Did you know?
The words incident, incidence, and instance may seem similar (and, in fact, incident and incidence are closely related), but they are applied in different ways. In current use, incidence usually means "rate of occurrence" and is often qualified in some way ("a high incidence of bear sightings"). 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 a simple change bringing real improvement"); it can also be synonymous with case ("many instances/cases in which the wrong form was submitted"). The plural incidences sometimes occurs in such contexts as "several recent incidences of bear sightings," but this use is often criticized as incorrect.
Examples of incidence in a Sentence
Jennifer Lotito, Forbes, 14 Mar. 2025
Sales in America were down 20.3 percent to 15.4 million euros, an incidence on turnover of 6.2 percent.
—Luisa Zargani, WWD, 14 Mar. 2025
The incidence rates of hair loss were higher among semaglutide users than Contrave users.
—Annika Kim Constantino,ashley Capoot, CNBC, 11 Mar. 2025
New research by Yale has found an association between exposure to chemicals commonly used in firefighting and incidence of a brain tumor called a glioma in firefights, suggesting that the cancer may have an environmental cause.
—New Atlas, 11 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for incidence
Articles Related to incidence
Cite this Entry
“Incidence.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/incidence. Accessed 25 Mar. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
incidence
noun
Medical Definition
incidence
noun
Science
Share