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

That's because a core problem in HIV prevention is that a pill has to be taken every day. — Michal Ruprecht, NPR, 13 Aug. 2026

The Control Yuan, the country’s main government watchdog, concluded in June that existing prevention efforts were failing. — Alexandra Harrell, Footwear News, 13 Aug. 2026

New teams of crisis intervention and community violence prevention workers will soon roam portions of the agency’s Red, Blue and Green rail lines. — Talia Soglin, Chicago Tribune, 12 Aug. 2026

Clean up dog poop promptly; keep up with veterinary care and parasite prevention; and clean the bowls, bedding, crates, and toys of a pet being treated for giardia. — Angela Haupt, Time, 12 Aug. 2026

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