preventing
5 synonyms and 4 antonyms for preventing, grouped by meaning and by how common each one is.
Verb — Stopping something from happening, or stopping someone from doing something.
Synonyms
Everyday swaps
Common words most readers know — safe in any writing.
Less common
Still standard English, but they carry more weight.
Rare, literary or technical
Precise, but they will stand out — check the sense before using one.
Antonyms
How to use preventing
The word patterns that sound natural to a native speaker.
preventing crime
preventing the spread
preventing injury
aimed at preventing
Neutral. "Prevent someone from doing something" is the standard pattern in British English; "prevent someone doing something" is also accepted.
Etymology
Present participle of prevent, from Latin praevenire "to come before, anticipate", from prae- "before" + venire "to come".
Full origin of preventing →Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between preventing and avoiding?
Preventing means stopping something from happening at all, often for other people as well as yourself. Avoiding means keeping yourself away from something that may happen anyway. A vaccine prevents disease; staying home avoids the crowd.
Is it "prevent him from doing" or "prevent him doing"?
Both are used. "Prevent him from doing" is the safer choice in formal writing and is standard in every variety of English; "prevent him doing" is common in British speech.
