prevention

noun

pre·​ven·​tion pri-ˈven(t)-shən 

: the act of preventing or hindering

Synonyms of prevention

• avoidance
• prohibition

Examples of prevention in a Sentence

Exercise and diet play a role in the prevention of heart disease.

good crowd control is crucial to the prevention of riots

Recent Examples on the Web

Strictly Necessary Cookies Always Active These Cookies and SDKs are required for Service functionality, including security and fraud prevention, and to enable any purchasing capabilities. —Rohan Nadkarni, NBC news, 24 Dec. 2025

Andrew Noymer is associate professor of population health & disease prevention at the University of California, Irvine. —Andrew Noymer, Oc Register, 24 Dec. 2025

Upon completion of the deal, ServiceNow will integrate data from Armis’ threat prevention services into its larger cybersecurity suite, enhancing clients’ ability to fend off cyberattacks, Zavery said in an interview. —Bloomberg, Mercury News, 23 Dec. 2025

Police said the two men initially refused to go to the loss prevention office. —Christopher Harris, CBS News, 23 Dec. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing prevention

• an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure
• prevention is better than cure

Rhymes for prevention

• attention
• contention
• convention
• declension
• detention
• dimension
• dissension
• distension
• extension
• intension
• invention
• laurentian

Kids Definition

prevention

noun

pre·​ven·​tion pri-ˈven-chən 

: the act or practice of preventing something

the prevention of fires