as in prophylactic
concerned with or serving to keep something from happening
the department in charge of taking preventative measures against international terrorism
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in preventive
Related Words
Dissimilar Words
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of preventative
Jennifer Lotito, Forbes.com, 5 June 2025
Make sure any family pets, especially cats, are current on vaccinations and parasite preventatives.
—Jen Reeder, Forbes.com, 30 Apr. 2025
Now, the best preventative is to plant disease resistant selections, such as Freedom, Liberty, Priscilla and Redfree.
—Steve Bender, Southern Living, 12 Apr. 2025
By incorporating this approach, healthcare can shift from reactive to preventative.
—Karlo Tanjuakio, Forbes, 24 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for preventative
Adjective
Now, experts say what’s needed to get the fight back on track—and eventually end the threat for good—isn’t just better diagnostics and therapeutics, but long acting preventatives.
—Jennifer Lotito, Forbes.com, 5 June 2025
Make sure any family pets, especially cats, are current on vaccinations and parasite preventatives.
—Jen Reeder, Forbes.com, 30 Apr. 2025
Now, the best preventative is to plant disease resistant selections, such as Freedom, Liberty, Priscilla and Redfree.
—Steve Bender, Southern Living, 12 Apr. 2025
By incorporating this approach, healthcare can shift from reactive to preventative.
—Karlo Tanjuakio, Forbes, 24 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for preventative
Recent Examples of Synonyms for preventative
Adjective
-
Savvy managers can help control costs by locking in smart service contracts, doing preventive maintenance and upgrading homes to be more efficient.—
Johan Hajji,
Forbes.com,
7 Aug. 2025
-
Under Israel’s Begin Doctrine, which prescribes preventive warfare against adversaries capable of developing weapons of mass destruction, further ambiguity over the state of Iran’s nuclear program may serve as casus belli for future hostilities.—
Hasan T. Alhasan,
Foreign Affairs,
4 Aug. 2025
Noun
-
Like most large governments, Miami-Dade pays for its own employee health care costs and hires an insurance company to administer the billing and reimbursement process for about $600 million in claims per year.—
Douglas Hanks,
Miami Herald,
13 Aug. 2025
-
The insurance company is known to serve millions nationally.—
Kansas City Star,
Kansas City Star,
13 Aug. 2025
Noun
-
As a precaution, the National Weather Service is advising people in sensitive groups — including children, older adults and people with lung or heart conditions like asthma — to avoid being outside.—
Jack Albright,
jsonline.com,
5 Aug. 2025
-
Those with heart or lung conditions, children, and older adults were urged to take extra precautions.—
Hannah Parry
Amanda Castro,
MSNBC Newsweek,
4 Aug. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Preventative.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/preventative. Accessed 19 Aug. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share