Definition of proactive
1 [1pro-] : relating to, caused by, or being interference between previous learning and the recall or performance of later learning proactive inhibition of memory
2 [2pro- + reactive] : acting in anticipation of future problems, needs, or changes
proactively
adverbFrom the M-W Editors
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 of proactive from the Web
-
Costa Mesa police employed proactive measures leading up to the holiday this year in an effort to quell the use of illegal pyrotechnics in the city.
-
Rather than pulling out of the United Nations, the U.S. has been proactive in its leadership role.
-
Building up staff In an interview Thursday, Joe Sprague, Alaska Air’s senior vice president of external affairs, rejected criticism in the union letter that management has not been proactive in addressing the pilot shortage.
-
Not that all teams don’t try to pay for the future rather than the past, but the Seahawks have seemed as proactive as any team in the John Schneider era in that regard (releasing the likes of Red Bryant and Chris Clemons, etc.).
-
The European Union is much more proactive in regulating consumer cosmetics, Xu said.
-
The framework supports districts looking at proactive strategies and procedures that ensure important social and learning outcomes by creating a positive and supportive school climate.
-
But what Kremer considers proactive is seen as unnecessary by critics in the state assembly.
-
Temple University, based in Philadelphia, works to prevent such situations with its Fly in 4 Graduation Partnership, an agreement that offers certain safeguards but requires students to be proactive in their class scheduling.
These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'proactive.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
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.
First Known Use of proactive
1933
PROACTIVE Defined for English Language Learners
proactive
playDefinition of proactive for English Language Learners
-
: controlling a situation by making things happen or by preparing for possible future problems
Medical Dictionary
proactive
playMedical Definition of proactive
: relating to, caused by, or being interference between previous learning and the recall or performance of later learning proactive inhibition of memory
Learn More about proactive
Seen and Heard
What made you want to look up proactive? Please tell us where you read or heard it (including the quote, if possible).
Writing? Check your grammar now!