as in averting
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 preventing
Today’s top stories Hospice fraud in California A psychotherapist discovered she had been fraudulently enrolled in hospice care, preventing Medicare from covering treatment for a pickleball injury.
—
Deputy Managing Editor, Los Angeles Times, 22 Apr. 2026
Nevertheless, some Ukrainian negotiators hope that renaming the area to honor Trump would both appeal to his ego and give him a public relations interest in preventing its capture by Russia.
—Brady Knox, The Washington Examiner, 22 Apr. 2026
Tillis said that investigation clouded the confirmation hearing with politics, preventing him from supporting any candidate until the probe was resolved.
—David Goldman, CNN Money, 21 Apr. 2026
Koczwara said the village is also considering engineering solutions to preventing drag races and reckless driving on LaGrange Road as well as within subdivisions.
—Olivia Stevens, Chicago Tribune, 21 Apr. 2026
Former officials said the sudden loss of that many colleagues is devastating to the sensitive, granular work of preventing attacks.
—Hannah Allam, ProPublica, 21 Apr. 2026
Besides the weather, what's preventing the UFC at Wrigley?
—Joe Kinsey Outkick, FOXNews.com, 21 Apr. 2026
The first arriving officer's cruiser was surrounded by about 100 people, preventing him from intervening.
—Matt Schooley, CBS News, 21 Apr. 2026
Its fiber structure allows air to circulate freely, preventing heat from being trapped against the skin overnight.
—Allison Palmer, Miami Herald, 21 Apr. 2026
Deputy Managing Editor, Los Angeles Times, 22 Apr. 2026
Nevertheless, some Ukrainian negotiators hope that renaming the area to honor Trump would both appeal to his ego and give him a public relations interest in preventing its capture by Russia.
—Brady Knox, The Washington Examiner, 22 Apr. 2026
Tillis said that investigation clouded the confirmation hearing with politics, preventing him from supporting any candidate until the probe was resolved.
—David Goldman, CNN Money, 21 Apr. 2026
Koczwara said the village is also considering engineering solutions to preventing drag races and reckless driving on LaGrange Road as well as within subdivisions.
—Olivia Stevens, Chicago Tribune, 21 Apr. 2026
Former officials said the sudden loss of that many colleagues is devastating to the sensitive, granular work of preventing attacks.
—Hannah Allam, ProPublica, 21 Apr. 2026
Besides the weather, what's preventing the UFC at Wrigley?
—Joe Kinsey Outkick, FOXNews.com, 21 Apr. 2026
The first arriving officer's cruiser was surrounded by about 100 people, preventing him from intervening.
—Matt Schooley, CBS News, 21 Apr. 2026
Its fiber structure allows air to circulate freely, preventing heat from being trapped against the skin overnight.
—Allison Palmer, Miami Herald, 21 Apr. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for preventing
Verb
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Both lawmakers submitted formal resignation letters that were read on the House floor, averting potential expulsion actions by colleagues.—
Dave Goldiner,
New York Daily News,
14 Apr. 2026
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The Los Angeles Unified School District and Service Employees International Union (SEIU), Local 99, which represents roughly 30,000 school support workers, reached an agreement in principle early Tuesday, averting a strike just hours before schools were set to open.—
Teresa Liu,
Daily News,
14 Apr. 2026
Verb
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But even after hearing from Kelly and several distressed homeowners at the March 9 City Council meeting, Council members couldn’t reach consensus on key elements of the proposal, precluding a necessary approval for the ordinance to advance.—
Claire Murphy,
Chicago Tribune,
31 Mar. 2026
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Brady is a minority owner of the Las Vegas Raiders, which has played a large role in precluding a return.—
Scott Thompson,
FOXNews.com,
22 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Oil revenue is the linchpin of Russia’s economy, allowing Putin to pour money into the armed forces without worsening inflation for everyday people and avoiding a currency collapse.—
Lorne Cook,
Los Angeles Times,
23 Apr. 2026
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Perez said long-term solutions include avoiding terrible real estate deals like the city’s purchase nearly a decade ago of a downtown office building on Ash Street that was filled with asbestos.—
David Garrick,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
23 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Preventing.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/preventing. Accessed 27 Apr. 2026.
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