incidence
gb/ˈɪnsɪdəns/ us/ˈɪnsɪdəns/
C1
English
~ 8700
Senses
0 senses
Noun
formal
C1
quantity
1
rate at which something occurs
How often something happens in a group of people or in a place during a certain time, usually used for problems like disease or crime.
Usage pattern:
the incidence of [something] (in [a group/place])
Common mistake:
Learners often confuse "incidence" with "incident". "Incident" is a single event (for example, a fight or an accident), while "incidence" is about how often events of a certain type happen in a group or time period. Another mistake is to say *"an incidence"* when they mean one event; in that case, "incident" or "case" is correct.
Synonyms
frequency (General word for how often something happens; less formal and not especially used for medical or crime data.)
|
rate (Very close in meaning, but broader and not limited to events; often used in everyday speech where 'incidence' sounds more technical or formal.)
|
prevalence (Often used in health and medical contexts; focuses more on how widespread something is at a given time, while 'incidence' focuses on new cases over a period.)
Antonyms
rarity (Suggests that something happens very seldom, which is the opposite idea of a high incidence.)
Collocations
high incidence of
|low incidence of
|incidence rate
|incidence of cancer
|disease incidence
|crime incidence
Themes
health
|statistics
|society
|science
Examples
- The incidence of diabetes has risen sharply over the past decade.
- Researchers are studying the incidence of lung cancer in urban areas.
- Several policies were introduced to reduce the incidence of violent crime.
- There is a particularly high incidence of malaria in this region during the rainy season.
Learner examples
- The incidence of heart disease is higher in older people.
- We looked at the incidence of car accidents in the city last year.
- Better public health can lower the incidence of many diseases.
- The report shows a low incidence of serious crime in this town.
Noun
technical
C2
relation
2
meeting of a ray with a surface
In science, the moment when light, sound, or another wave hits a surface, often talked about together with the angle.
Usage pattern:
the incidence of [light/sound/etc.] on [a surface]
Common mistake:
Learners may mix up "incidence" and "incident" in physics contexts. "Incident" is an adjective in phrases like "incident ray" (the ray that is coming in), while "incidence" is the noun for the act or angle of hitting the surface.
Synonyms
impingement (A technical term also meaning striking against or upon a surface, used mainly in scientific or formal contexts.)
Collocations
angle of incidence
|normal to the point of incidence
|point of incidence
|light incidence
|incidence on the surface
Themes
science
|physics
Examples
- The experiment measures the angle of incidence and the angle of reflection of the light beam.
- At high angles of incidence, more of the radar signal is reflected away from the receiver.
- The efficiency of the solar panel changes with the incidence of sunlight on its surface.
Learner examples
- We can change the angle of incidence of the light in this experiment.
- The incidence of the laser beam on the mirror must be very precise.
- The scientist explained how the incidence of sunlight affects the mirror.
Noun
technical
C2
relation
3
distribution of tax or cost burden
In economics, how the real cost of a tax or fee is shared between different people or groups, for example between buyers and sellers.
Usage pattern:
the incidence of [a tax/cost] on [a group]
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes think "tax incidence" means how often a tax is used. In economics, it does not mean frequency; it means who really pays the tax in the end (for example, buyers or sellers).
Synonyms
burden distribution (Describes how a load or cost is shared; less technical and more descriptive than the fixed term "incidence" in economics.)
Antonyms
benefit distribution (Focuses on how advantages, rather than burdens, are shared; used as a conceptual opposite in discussions of who gains versus who pays.)
Collocations
tax incidence
|incidence of taxation
|incidence of the cost
|shifting the incidence
|incidence on consumers
Themes
economics
|business
|finance
Examples
- Economists disagree about the true incidence of the new carbon tax.
- The study analyzes the incidence of taxation on low-income households.
- Changes in market structure can shift the incidence of a tax from producers to consumers.
Learner examples
- The professor talked about the incidence of a sales tax on buyers and sellers.
- In this model, the incidence of the new tax is mostly on workers.
- We must understand the incidence of the fee before we change the law.
Grammar
Dictionary form
incidence
IPA
GB/ˈɪnsɪdəns/
US/ˈɪnsɪdəns/
Syllables & stress
in - cid - ence (3 syllables)
Stress on 1st syllable (in)
Word forms
Noun
- Base: incidence
- Plural: incidences
Word family
Forms
incidences
noun
Core family
Related words
Advanced or less common
coincident
adjective
Expressions
angle of incidence
1/ˈæŋɡəl əv ˈɪnsɪdəns/
fixed phrase
technical
angle of an incoming ray to a surface
The angle between a ray of light, sound, etc. that hits a surface and a line that is straight up from that surface at the point where it hits.
Examples
- According to the law of reflection, the angle of incidence equals the angle of reflection.
- By changing the angle of incidence, we can focus more light onto the sensor.
- The diagram shows how the angle of incidence affects the brightness of the reflected beam.
incidence rate
1/ˈɪnsɪdəns ɹˈeɪt/
fixed phrase
technical
measure of new cases over time
A number that shows how many new cases of a disease or problem happen in a group of people during a set time.
Examples
- The incidence rate of the infection dropped after the vaccination campaign.
- Researchers compared the incidence rate of heart disease between smokers and non-smokers.
- Public health officials monitor the incidence rate to detect outbreaks early.
tax incidence
1/tˈæks ˈɪnsɪdəns/
fixed phrase
technical
how a tax burden is shared
How the real cost of a tax is divided between different people or groups, like buyers, sellers, or workers.
Examples
- The tax incidence depends on how sensitive buyers and sellers are to price changes.
- Policy makers must consider the tax incidence on low-income families before raising VAT.
- The report explains that the tax incidence falls mainly on consumers, not on producers.