as in preventative
concerned with or serving to keep something from happening
if you start taking this preventive medicine now, you may not get sick after all
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in precaution
a measure taken to preclude loss or injury
if people took the simple preventive of frequently washing their hands, the spread of germs could be greatly reduced
Synonyms & Similar 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 preventive
Elizabeth Cooney,
STAT,
1 July 2026
Take preventive measures like sealing cracks and gaps around your home, removing pet food and water at night when pets aren't eating, and keeping kitchens and garbage areas clean and tidy.
—
Karen Brewer Grossman,
Southern Living,
1 July 2026
Franz Lidz,
New York Times,
5 Sep. 2023
But although human vaccines function primarily as preventives, offering immunity to animals such as black-footed ferrets can be a conservation strategy of last resort.
—
Katherine J. Wu,
The Atlantic,
15 June 2023
See All Example Sentences for preventive
Adjective
In a commentary published with the study, Yuan Lu of Yale University saw the converging risk factor levels as a win for preventive cardiology.
—
Elizabeth Cooney,
STAT,
1 July 2026
Take preventive measures like sealing cracks and gaps around your home, removing pet food and water at night when pets aren't eating, and keeping kitchens and garbage areas clean and tidy.
—
Karen Brewer Grossman,
Southern Living,
1 July 2026
Noun
Padlocks, sickles and other objects made of iron, a metal said to possess anti-demonic powers, were stashed in the grave as preventives.
—
Franz Lidz,
New York Times,
5 Sep. 2023
But although human vaccines function primarily as preventives, offering immunity to animals such as black-footed ferrets can be a conservation strategy of last resort.
—
Katherine J. Wu,
The Atlantic,
15 June 2023
See All Example Sentences for preventive
Recent Examples of Synonyms for preventive
Adjective
-
Increasingly, however, many are embracing a different definition—one that includes rest, healing, preventative care, joy, and self-investment.
-
High-quality swim lessons can be a vital preventative measure to combat this issue.
Noun
-
As a further precaution, consider adding background noise, like the TV or a white noise machine, to help muffle the sounds.
-
Take every precaution to never leave young children and pets alone in vehicles, especially in extreme heat when car interiors can quickly become hazardous.
Cite this Entry
“Preventive.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/preventive. Accessed 5 Jul. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
