proactive

adjective

pro·​ac·​tive (ˌ)prō-ˈak-tiv 

1

[pro- entry 2 + reactive] : acting in anticipation of future problems, needs, or changes

take a proactive approach

Be proactive about asking for feedback from the people around you, and when it is given, do take it constructively.

—Onyinye Ikenna-Emeka

Proactive managers are planners; they anticipate crises rather than reel from them.

—Michael Tannenbaum et al.

2

[pro- entry 1] psychology : relating to, caused by, or being interference between previous learning and the recall or performance of later learning

Because of proactive interference, you may have difficulty remembering a new area code (you keep dialing the old one by mistake).

—Jeffrey Nevid

Did you know?

People who tend to react to a problem only when it's gotten serious could be called reactive people. Until recently, reactive (in this sense) didn't really have an antonym. So proactive was coined to describe the kind of person who's always looking into the future in order to be prepared for anything. A good parent attempts to be proactive on behalf of his or her children, trying to imagine the problems they might be facing in a few months or years. A company's financial officers study the patterns of the company's earnings to make sure it won't risk running short of cash at any point in the next year or two. Proactive has only been around a few decades, and it can still sometimes sound like a fashionable buzzword.

Synonyms of proactive

• cautious
• careful

Examples of proactive in a Sentence

A survey was given out to customers so that the company could take proactive steps to improve their service.

The city is taking a proactive approach to fighting crime by hiring more police officers.

Recent Examples on the Web

However, according to Ron Oleynik, co-head of the firm’s International Trade Practice, firms should be proactive about filing lawsuits with the CIT to make sure that happens. —Kate Nishimura, Sourcing Journal, 18 Dec. 2025

Some business owners, knowing Xcel was going to have what is called a proactive public safety power shut-off did not open for the day. —Alan Gionet, CBS News, 18 Dec. 2025

Looking ahead, the firm will implement proactive mitigation actions to fully offset tariff costs in the second half of its fiscal 2026 year, supporting both gross margin and earnings per share resilience. —Sofia Celeste, Footwear News, 18 Dec. 2025

Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi reportedly said to a business lobby on Wednesday that Japan must pursue proactive spending, rather than excessive fiscal tightening in order to boost growth and tax revenues. —Lim Hui Jie, CNBC, 18 Dec. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1933, in the meaning defined at sense 2

Rhymes for proactive

• attractive
• contractive
• extractive
• inactive
• reactive
• refractive
• subtractive
• active
• tractive
• bioactive
• hyperactive
• interactive

Kids Definition

proactive

adjective

pro·​ac·​tive prō-ˈak-tiv 

: acting in anticipation of future problems, needs, or changes

proactively adverb

Medical Definition

proactive

adjective

pro·​ac·​tive (ˈ)prō-ˈak-tiv 

: relating to, caused by, or being interference between previous learning and the recall or performance of later learning

proactive inhibition of memory