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"Practical" and "useful" have positive meaning. I am looking for a word with neutral meaning as same as "widely used" that uses neutrally (examples):

  • Prescription painkillers are more widely used than tobacco, new federal study finds.
  • This is a list of British words not widely used in the United States.
  • Answer to Polystyrene, one of the most widely used plastics in the world, has the following formula.
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  • 4
    "Common" or "ubiquitous" come close. What is wrong with the clear phrase "widely used?" Why do you need a single word? Because English grammar is flexible, English often doesn't have single words for things that can be easily expressed with phrases.
    – jejorda2
    Commented Sep 22, 2016 at 9:50
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    I am just curious about it and nothing more.
    – user64617
    Commented Sep 22, 2016 at 9:53
  • Consider "customary".
    – Graffito
    Commented Sep 22, 2016 at 21:45

3 Answers 3

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Prevalent - Dictionary.com

widespread; of wide extent or occurrence; in general use or acceptance.

Eg: These days, laptop computers are prevalent on university campuses.

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Prolific: present in large numbers or quantities; plentiful.

Prolific

  1. producing constant or successful results
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Permit me to offer the word utilized in the following sentence:

The students utilized the extensive facilities offered by the university's library and gymnasium.

Utilize: (verb) To make use of: turn to practical use or account. (M-W)

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  • In my answer, I'm aware that the word "utilized" has positive connotations in the context of students and university facilities. I am further aware that the OP has requested a word generating a "neutral" meaning. I'm unable to reconcile this requirement with my own example. Utilize may also be used in a negative context but without having any positive, neutral or negative meaning as in, for example, "Hitler's Nazi war machine utilized its vast resources in implementing the Final Solution". The word's context is negative but its meaning per se carries no positive, neutral or negative overtones Commented Sep 22, 2016 at 13:53
  • 'Utilized' means 'used' not 'widely used'. Commented Sep 22, 2016 at 21:55
  • @EdwinAshworth Oops! I overlooked the OP's position on this. Mea culpa! Commented Sep 22, 2016 at 22:56

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