epidemic
/ˌepɪˈdemɪk/ (bre, ipa) · /ˌepɪˈdemɪk/ (ame, ipa) · /ˌe-pə-ˈde-mik/ (ame, mw) · /ˌep.ɪˈdem.ɪk/ (bre, ipa) · /ˌep.əˈdem.ɪk/ (ame, ipa)
epidemic — noun
- epidemicsingular
- epidemicsplural
1. a situation in which a contagious illness spreads rapidly across a community and
a situation in which a contagious illness spreads rapidly across a community and infects many thousands of people in a short time
Hassan noticed a flu epidemic spreading through his school in Taipei.
collocation: flu epidemic / measles epidemic
The city declared an emergency after a cholera epidemic broke out in the market.
collocation: epidemic + break out
During the measles epidemic, hospitals ran out of beds within two weeks.
Officials urged people to wash their hands regularly to slow the epidemic.
The government sent doctors and medicine to towns hit by the epidemic.
文法句型
epidemic + of + disease name
an/the epidemic + verb (breaks out, spreads, hits)
用法筆記
Frequently paired with a prepositional phrase beginning with 'of' that names the specific disease (e.g., an epidemic of cholera).
常見錯誤
2. a serious social problem or negative trend that spreads rapidly and affects a ve
a serious social problem or negative trend that spreads rapidly and affects a very large number of people in a society
The city is facing an epidemic of loneliness among elderly residents.
collocation: an epidemic of [problem]
Trang's town has seen an epidemic of phone thefts on public buses.
Fake news on social media became an epidemic that made truth hard to find.
The country is struggling with an epidemic of drug abuse among young adults.
Jenna wrote a report about the epidemic of stress affecting office workers.
文法句型
an epidemic of + (negative phenomenon)
epidemic + of + noun phrase
用法筆記
This sense extends the disease metaphor to social issues. The noun that follows 'epidemic of' must be negative or undesirable (crime, dishonesty, obesity, violence).
常見錯誤
epidemic — adjective
- epidemicpositive
- more epidemiccomparative
- most epidemicsuperlative
1. happening on a very large scale in a population so that it spreads fast and beco
happening on a very large scale in a population so that it spreads fast and becomes difficult to manage or stop
Violent crime has reached epidemic levels in parts of the capital.
collocation: epidemic levels / proportions
The mayor described the rate of school dropouts as epidemic in the rural areas.
predicative: [something] is epidemic
Élise's concern about rising housing costs was epidemic among her neighbours.
The report showed that smartphone addiction was becoming epidemic among teenagers.
In some cities, homelessness has grown to epidemic proportions.
- rampant
suggests something bad that is spreading unchecked, often with a moral judgement
- widespread
broader and more neutral; lacks the sense of rapid, dangerous spread
- prevalent
formal and neutral; describes what is common without the alarm tone of epidemic
文法句型
epidemic + noun (levels, proportions)
become / grow epidemic
用法筆記
Used both literally (disease-related) and metaphorically (social problems). The adjective form is most commonly found in the fixed phrases 'epidemic levels' and 'epidemic proportions'.