proactive

adjective pro·ac·tive \ (ˌ)prō-ˈak-tiv \

|Updated on: 15 Aug 2018

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

[²pro- + reactive]

: acting in anticipation of future problems, needs, or changes

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proactively

adverb

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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

Planning and Zoning commissioners agreed that Parks and Recreation should've been more proactive in gathering public input.

— sven berg, idahostatesman, "Locals want input on Boise's bike park plan. The City Council could decide soon.," 10 July 2018
As such, businesses should remain vigilant and take proactive steps to avoid being targeted.

— carol lumpkin and stephanie moot, miamiherald, "Is your website ADA-compliant? Avoid becoming a litigation target," 25 June 2018
That information could one day help people be more proactive about avoiding cognitive decline, and may even help to stave off some of the brain problems associated with more severe degenerative diseases like dementia and Alzheimer’s.

— alice park, Time, "Here’s How Much Exercise You Need to Keep Your Brain Healthy," 30 May 2018
With historic growth looming at the city's doorstep, the Dayton city council continues with proactive steps to prepare the area in every facet of responsibility.

— david taylor, Houston Chronicle, "Dayton council approves traffic study, continues annexation," 22 Mar. 2018
Those hospitals are among a small but growing group trying to be more proactive.

— abby goodnough, Anchorage Daily News, "Injecting drugs can ruin a heart. How many second chances should a user get?," 30 Apr. 2018
Focusing too much on managing day-to-day operations, they are caught unprepared and therefore put their businesses at risk by taking reactive rather than proactive, strategic approaches.

— james s. cassel, miamiherald, "In today’s uncertain times, planning for the unexpected is critical | Miami Herald," 22 Apr. 2018
For that, a more proactive cover-up would be necessary.

— andrew prokop, Vox, "Trump would love to fire Mueller. But here’s why he’s been afraid to so far.," 12 Apr. 2018
So smart companies are getting more proactive managing the risk.

— mike cason, AL.com, "Ethics Commission finds probable cause against Barbour County sheriff," 4 Apr. 2018

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.