prevent
prih-VEHNT
Prevent (verb) means to stop something from happening, or to keep someone from doing something. Example: “A good umbrella can prevent you from getting soaked on the way home.”
verb
1
To stop something from happening, or to keep someone from doing something.
"Scotland must now hope Georgia produce a huge upset and beat Argentina by at least eight points in Sunday's final Pool B match to prevent them failing to make the last eight for the first time in World Cup history."
— Tom Fordyce, Rugby World Cup 2011: England 16-12 Scotland (2011)
"A good umbrella can prevent you from getting soaked on the way home."
"Barriers have been put up to prevent more people (from) entering the stadium."
"Regular exercise can help prevent heart disease."
"A locked gate prevented the dog from getting into the yard."
"I brush my teeth regularly to prevent tooth decay."
How to use prevent
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishTo stop something from happening before it does.
Common mistake
Use "prevent from" or "prevent someone doing" (British) / "prevent someone from doing" (American), not "prevent to."
Easily confused with
Common pairings
prevent from
prevent disease
crime prevention
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Word forms
- Third person singular
- prevents
- Past tense
- prevented
Fill the gap
Can you complete this real example?
A good umbrella can _____ you from getting soaked on the way home.
Etymology
From Latin praevenire, "to come before, to anticipate," from prae- ("before") + venire ("to come").
Synonyms
View more →Antonyms
Related words
Rhymes for prevent
See all rhymes for prevent →Frequently asked questions
What does “prevent” mean?
The word “prevent” means to stop something from happening, or to keep someone from doing something. In plain terms, to stop something from happening before it does.
How do you pronounce “prevent”?
“Prevent” is pronounced prih-VEHNT (/pɹɪˈvɛnt/ in IPA).
How do you use “prevent” in a sentence?
Here is “prevent” used in a sentence: “Regular exercise can help prevent heart disease.”
What part of speech is “prevent”?
“Prevent” is a verb.
Where does the word “prevent” come from?
The word “prevent” comes from Latin. From Latin praevenire, "to come before, to anticipate," from prae- ("before") + venire ("to come").
Is “prevent” a common word?
“Prevent” is a very common word in modern English, usually learned at around the A2 level.
What is the difference between 'prevent' and 'avoid'?
'Prevent' means to stop something from happening at all, often by acting on the situation — locking a door prevents theft. 'Avoid' means to keep yourself away from something or refrain from doing it — you avoid a bad road by taking another. You prevent an event; you avoid an experience.
What is an example of preventing something?
Washing your hands prevents the spread of germs; a seatbelt prevents injury in a crash; a fence prevents animals from straying. In each case, an action is taken beforehand so that an unwanted event does not occur. Prevention always works ahead of the problem, not after it.
What is the opposite of 'prevent'?
The opposite of 'prevent' is to allow or bring something about. Antonyms include 'permit', 'allow', 'enable', 'encourage', and 'cause'. Where preventing stops an event, permitting lets it happen and causing makes it happen. So to prevent a fire is the reverse of allowing or starting one.
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