prevention

noun

pre·​ven·​tion pri-ˈven(t)-shən 

: the act of preventing or hindering

Synonyms

• 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

Her academic credentials include published research in journals such as Nature Cell Biology and FASEB Journal, with extensive work on aging, nutrition, and disease prevention. —Preston Fore, Fortune, 11 Sep. 2025

One example highlighted by Kurtzig is innovators developing predictive tools for wildfire prevention. —Geri Stengel, Forbes.com, 11 Sep. 2025

These contracts included funding for state fire prevention, emergency response, and public health services, among other programs. —Robert Schmad, The Washington Examiner, 10 Sep. 2025

Doctors Against Genocide started as an advocacy group taking the medical perspective that prevention and stopping more people from being injured or killed is better than sending aid as the war continues, Jboor said. —Natalie Davies, Freep.com, 10 Sep. 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