prevention
Prevention (noun) means the act of stopping something, especially a problem or danger, before it happens. Example: “Fire prevention starts with checking your smoke alarms regularly.”
How to Use Prevention
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishStopping a problem before it starts, rather than dealing with it afterwards.
Word Forms
preventions plural
Fill the Gap
Can you complete this real example?
Fire _____ starts with checking your smoke alarms regularly.
Etymology
From Medieval Latin preventio, related to praevenire ("to anticipate, to come before").
Synonyms
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Rhymes for prevention
Frequently Asked Questions
What does “prevention” mean?
The word “prevention” means the act of stopping something, especially a problem or danger, before it happens. In plain terms, stopping a problem before it starts, rather than dealing with it afterwards.
How do you pronounce “prevention”?
“Prevention” is pronounced prih-VEHN-shuhn (/pɹɪˈvɛnʃən/ in IPA).
How do you use “prevention” in a sentence?
Here is “prevention” used in a sentence: “Fire prevention starts with checking your smoke alarms regularly.”
What part of speech is “prevention”?
“Prevention” is a noun.
Where does the word “prevention” come from?
The word “prevention” comes from Medieval Latin. From Medieval Latin preventio, related to praevenire ("to anticipate, to come before").
Is “prevention” a common word?
“Prevention” is a fairly common word in modern English, usually learned at around the B2 level.
What is the difference between prevention and precaution?
Prevention is the act of stopping a problem or danger before it happens, focusing on the outcome. A precaution is a specific measure taken in advance to reduce risk, so precautions are the individual steps that make prevention possible.
What words commonly go with prevention?
Prevention usually pairs with the problem being stopped, as in "crime prevention", "disease prevention", "fire prevention", and "accident prevention". Each phrase names the danger that action is meant to head off.
Featured In
Vocabulary lists that include prevention: