preventive
- 01 B2 Upper Intermediate
adj.intended to stop something bad from happening.
adj.intended to forestall or inhibit the occurrence of an undesirable event or condition.
Simple“The company took preventive measures to make sure the machines didn't break down.”
In context“The security team implemented preventive protocols to mitigate the risk of a data breach before any vulnerabilities could be exploited.”
UsageOften used in the phrase 'preventive measures' or 'preventive action'.
SynonymsAntonyms - 02 B2 Upper Intermediate
adj.used to stop an illness or health problem before it begins.
adj.relating to the inhibition of disease or the slowing of its development; synonymous with prophylactic.
Simple“Regular exercise and a healthy diet are important for preventive medicine.”
In context“The clinic focuses on preventive healthcare, offering screenings that detect potential issues while they are still manageable.”
Teacher's tipLearners may see 'preventative' used in the same way; both are correct, though 'preventive' is often preferred in technical and medical writing.
SynonymsprophylacticprotectiveAntonymscurativetherapeutic - 03 C1 Advanced
n.something that you do or take to stop a problem.
n.a measure, drug, or device used to prevent an undesirable event or disease.
Simple“The doctor suggested a daily vitamin as a preventive against the flu.”
In context“While the new law is a useful preventive, it does not address the root causes of the social unrest.”
UsageUsually functions as a countable noun.
Synonyms
“This is not because more children are getting sick, but because they can no longer access preventive and community-based nutrition services previously available to them.”
“These include the ship's crew, pilots, charterers, managers and people taking preventive measures.”
Borrowed from New Latin praeventīvus. Equivalent to prevent + -ive.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.