prevention
- 01 B2 Upper Intermediate
the act of stopping something from happening or someone from doing something.
the act of hindering, obstructing, or thwarting an action or event before it occurs.
Simple“The prevention of crime is the main goal of the local police force.”
In context“Effective crime prevention requires a combination of visible policing and community engagement to address the root causes of local instability.”
SynonymsAntonyms - 02 B2 Upper Intermediate
actions taken to keep people healthy and safe from risks.
measures intended to limit health-related risks or hazards through proactive intervention.
Simple“The doctor focused on disease prevention through a better diet and exercise.”
In context“Public health initiatives often prioritise the prevention of chronic illnesses over the treatment of acute symptoms to reduce long-term healthcare costs.”
Synonymsprecautionprophylaxis - 03 C1 Advanced
thinking ahead to deal with a problem before it arrives.
the act of anticipating needs, hazards, or risks through forethought.
Simple“With a little prevention, we can avoid these technical issues next time.”
In context“The architect's prevention of structural fatigue through redundant support systems ensured the building's longevity in a seismic zone.”
Synonymsforethoughtprecaution - 04 C2 Proficiency
the act of coming before something else in time.
the state of preceding or going before another in time or order.
Simple“In the old text, the author speaks of the prevention of one event by another.”
In context“The theological treatise explored the prevention of grace, using the term in its older sense of a divine action that precedes human will.”
Synonyms
“Neither social worker who visited her that day had undertaken suicide prevention training.”
“The tragedy is that, rather than spending on the prevention of bad societal outcomes, Britain has instead ended up allocating vast sums to the consequences of the failure.”
From Middle English prevencion, from Medieval Latin prēventiō.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.