preventive
prih-VEHN-tihv
Preventive (adj) means Intended to stop a problem, illness, or danger before it occurs. Example: “Doctors recommend preventive care like regular checkups and vaccinations.”
adj
1
Intended to stop a problem, illness, or danger before it occurs.
"Doctors recommend preventive care like regular checkups and vaccinations."
"The company took preventive measures to avoid another data breach."
How to use preventive
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishSomething done ahead of time to stop a bad outcome from happening at all.
Common mistake
Often used interchangeably with "preventative" — both are correct, but "preventive" is shorter and more common in formal writing.
Easily confused with
preventative
Common pairings
preventive medicine
preventive measures
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Word forms
- Plural
- preventives
- Comparative
- more preventive
- Superlative
- most preventive
Fill the gap
Can you complete this real example?
Doctors recommend _____ care like regular checkups and vaccinations.
Etymology
From New Latin praeventivus, from prevent + -ive.
Synonyms
View more →
preventative
prophylactic
Antonyms
Related words
Rhymes for preventive
See all rhymes for preventive →Frequently asked questions
What does “preventive” mean?
The word “preventive” means intended to stop a problem, illness, or danger before it occurs. In plain terms, something done ahead of time to stop a bad outcome from happening at all.
How do you pronounce “preventive”?
“Preventive” is pronounced prih-VEHN-tihv (/pɹɪˈvɛntɪv/ in IPA).
How do you use “preventive” in a sentence?
Here is “preventive” used in a sentence: “Doctors recommend preventive care like regular checkups and vaccinations.”
What is another word for “preventive”?
Words with a similar meaning to “preventive” include prophylactic.
What part of speech is “preventive”?
“Preventive” is an adjective.
Where does the word “preventive” come from?
The word “preventive” comes from New Latin. From New Latin praeventivus, from prevent + -ive.
Is “preventive” a common word?
“Preventive” is an uncommon word in modern English, usually learned at around the B2 level.
