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Antonyms for rife

Grammar : Adj
Spell : rahyf
Phonetic Transcription : raɪf

Definition of rife

Origin :
  • Old English rife "abundant, common, prevalent," from Proto-Germanic *rif- (cf. Old Norse rifr, Swedish river, Norwegian riv, Middle Dutch riif, Middle Low German rive "abundant, generous"), said to be from PIE root *rei- "to scratch, tear, cut" "The prevalence of the word in early southern texts is in favour of its being native in English, rather than an adoption from Scandinavian." [OED]
  • adj overflowing
Example sentences :
  • Speculation was rife as to who would inherit the estate which he left behind him.
  • Extract from : « Brave and Bold » by Horatio Alger
  • Such symptoms, when a disease of the kind is rife, are usually the signs of sickening.
  • Extract from : « Little Dorrit » by Charles Dickens
  • So this is the little maid of whom wonderful rumours are so rife?
  • Extract from : « The Scapegoat » by Hall Caine
  • Assassinations and pillage are too rife to make absence easy.
  • Extract from : « Charles Lever, His Life in His Letters, Vol. I (of II) » by Edmund Downey
  • The speculations which once would have been rife enough, were now silent.
  • Extract from : « St. Patrick's Eve » by Charles James Lever
  • And Phil was not a whit behind, for the spirit of emulation was rife in him.
  • Extract from : « The Spoilers of the Valley » by Robert Watson
  • At the end of his first year, however, the spirit of rebellion was rife.
  • Extract from : « The Journal of Negro History, Volume 7, 1922 » by Various
  • Venice and Ravenna are belted in with swamps, and fevers are rife in the autumn.
  • Extract from : « Stories of Authors, British and American » by Edwin Watts Chubb
  • And shortly after there was rife Many a sign of party strife.
  • Extract from : « A Humorous History of England » by C. Harrison
  • But of every species of poetry none are so rife with life and beauty as the song.
  • Extract from : « Fables of John Gay » by John Gay

Synonyms for rife

Based on : Thesaurus.com - Gutenberg.org - Dictionary.com - Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019