as in to avert
to keep from happening by taking action in advance
a lot of problems would have been prevented if we'd just prepared better
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Recent Examples of prevent
The agreement also includes an injunction preventing the union from enforcing the collective bargaining agreement between the union and the district on the basis of race and from retaliating against anyone who opposed any discriminatory practices or participated in any related investigation.
—
Olivia Stevens, Chicago Tribune, 5 Sep. 2025
Some state laws also prevent pharmacists from administering vaccines that haven’t been recommended by ACIP—a snarl that’s prompted pharmacies to limit access to COVID vaccines in more than a dozen states.
—Katherine J. Wu, The Atlantic, 5 Sep. 2025
The basic logic of Article XIII is to promote fair play among the 30 teams and prevent teams from cheating.
—Michael McCann, Sportico.com, 5 Sep. 2025
India’s local sourcing requirements prevented Apple from opening its iconic stores in the South Asian nation for years.
—Fortune, 5 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for prevent
Olivia Stevens, Chicago Tribune, 5 Sep. 2025
Some state laws also prevent pharmacists from administering vaccines that haven’t been recommended by ACIP—a snarl that’s prompted pharmacies to limit access to COVID vaccines in more than a dozen states.
—Katherine J. Wu, The Atlantic, 5 Sep. 2025
The basic logic of Article XIII is to promote fair play among the 30 teams and prevent teams from cheating.
—Michael McCann, Sportico.com, 5 Sep. 2025
India’s local sourcing requirements prevented Apple from opening its iconic stores in the South Asian nation for years.
—Fortune, 5 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for prevent
Recent Examples of Synonyms for prevent
Verb
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Senate Democrats are attempting to wield their leverage over Republicans, who will need their help in a few weeks to clear a 60-vote filibuster and avert the latest shutdown deadline.—
Ramsey Touchberry,
The Washington Examiner,
5 Sep. 2025
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Advertisement The tough talk coming from Democrats now is not all that different from what some of them were saying in March, just before Schumer and other Senate Democrats gave in and averted a shutdown.—
Nik Popli,
Time,
4 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Some Iranian lawmakers have warned that implementing snap-back sanctions could lead to Iran’s withdrawal from the NPT, an action that could preclude negotiation indefinitely.—
Robert J. Einhorn,
Foreign Affairs,
29 Aug. 2025
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As scholars in the field, the expertise of the authors generally precluded the need for fact-checking, so inaccuracies inevitably occurred.—
Joelle Renstrom
August 28,
Literary Hub,
28 Aug. 2025
Verb
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Take extra caution when on the road or avoid driving if possible.—
KANSAS CITY STAR WEATHER BOT,
Kansas City Star,
6 Sep. 2025
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Refrain from entering water that may have electricity in it and avoid walking through floodwaters.—
STAR-TELEGRAM WEATHER BOT,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
6 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Prevent.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/prevent. Accessed 8 Sep. 2025.
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