prevent

verb

pre·​vent pri-ˈvent 

prevented; preventing; prevents

transitive verb

1

: to keep from happening or existing

steps to prevent war

2

: to hold or keep back : hinder, stop

—often used with from

3

: to deprive of power or hope of acting or succeeding

4

archaic

a

: to be in readiness for (something, such as an occasion)

b

: to meet or satisfy in advance

c

: to act ahead of

d

: to go or arrive before

intransitive verb

: to interpose an obstacle

preventability

pri-ˌven-tə-ˈbi-lə-tē 

noun

preventable adjective

or less commonly preventible

pri-ˈven-tə-bəl 

preventer noun

Synonyms

• avert
• forestall
• head off
• help
• obviate
• preclude
• stave off

Choose the Right Synonym for prevent

prevent, anticipate, forestall mean to deal with beforehand.

prevent implies taking advance measures against something possible or probable.

measures taken to prevent leaks

anticipate may imply merely getting ahead of another by being a precursor or forerunner or it may imply checking another's intention by acting first.

anticipated the question by making a statement

forestall implies a getting ahead so as to stop or interrupt something in its course.

hoped to forestall the sale

Examples of prevent in a Sentence

Seatbelts in cars often prevent serious injuries.

Can exercise and a healthy diet prevent heart disease?

The accident could have been prevented.

He grabbed my arm to prevent me from falling.

Bad weather prevented us from leaving.

How are you going to prevent him from finding out about the party?

Recent Examples on the Web

The Scalp Relief Tonic, in particular, eases itchiness and inflammation quickly with the help of soothing cica, chamomile, and rosemary oil, while hydrating panthenol, glycerin, and hyaluronic acid help prevent future dryness and flakiness from occurring. —Devon Abelman, Allure, 2 Oct. 2024

Even though the rules prevent employers from offering this type of coverage to specific workers who may be sicker and more expensive to cover than others, employers with relatively unhealthy workforces may find the arrangements appealing. —CBS News, 2 Oct. 2024

These medical professionals toiled away for hours in rooms set between 85 and 90 degrees to prevent the babies from getting hypothermia. —Subha Barry, Forbes, 2 Oct. 2024

The new valuation comes as companies have halted spending on the platform to prevent their ads from running alongside potentially objectionable content, like hate speech and political misinformation. —Alexandra Banner, CNN, 2 Oct. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Middle English, to anticipate, from Latin praeventus, past participle of praevenire to come before, anticipate, forestall, from prae- + venire to come — more at come

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 4c

Kids Definition

prevent

verb

pre·​vent pri-ˈvent 

1

: to keep from happening

prevent accidents

2

: to hold or keep back : hinder, stop

bad weather prevented us from leaving

preventable adjective

also preventible

-ə-bəl