Rife With: Standard Pattern
Rife With: Standard Pattern records the directly documented construction and keeps guidance bounded to the evidenced complement pattern rather than inventing a broader prohibition.
Use “rife with” when something undesirable is widespread or present in large amounts within a place, system, discussion, or situation.
Key details
Choose the right form
| Meaning / situation | Form / construction | Decision |
|---|---|---|
| say that an undesirable thing is widespread within a place, system, discussion, or situation | be rife with + noun | Use “with” to name what is widespread. |
| describe abundance with a negative or critical tone | be rife with | Preserve the usual unfavorable implication. |
| describe neutral or positive abundance | prefer a neutral abundance expression | Do not import the negative tone when it is not intended. |
Quick tests
Meaning / construction test
Is the thing named after “with” widespread and undesirable in the situation?
If yes: Use “rife with.”
If no: If the abundance is neutral or positive, choose a less negatively marked expression.
Examples
The discussion was rife with unsupported claims.
The phrase says the undesirable claims were widespread.
The old database was rife with duplicate entries.
“With” introduces the problem occurring throughout the database.
The process was rife with opportunities for error.
The construction presents the unwanted risk as widespread.
Further guidance
Construction
Cambridge documents “rife with” for something full of an undesirable thing or condition.
Style Boundary
Rife also occurs in other structures, such as saying that a problem is rife in a place, so with is not presented as universally mandatory.
Sources and evidence
Sources are shown with the role they play in this guide. Historical or style-sensitive claims are kept within the evidence boundary described above.
- RIFE WITH | English meaning - Cambridge Dictionary (opens in a new tab)Cambridge University Press & Assessment · Cambridge dictionary evidence for rife with when something undesirable is widespread or abundant.