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
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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
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Recent Examples of preventive
Alexa Mikhail, Flow Space, 30 Apr. 2026
Universities like Stanford and the University of Rochester offer a range of resources, from group classes to preventive screening, to reduce the risk of musculoskeletal pain and injury.
—Bryan T. Kelly, Fortune, 29 Apr. 2026
Dr. Keith Roach, oregonlive, 26 Jan. 2023
In the end, however, experts say there is only one true preventive — or cure — for a hangover: Don’t drink.
—Sandee Lamotte, CNN, 30 Dec. 2022
See All Example Sentences for preventive
Adjective
But Berzin cautions companies against scaling preventive products without the oversight needed to help people interpret their data.
—Alexa Mikhail, Flow Space, 30 Apr. 2026
Universities like Stanford and the University of Rochester offer a range of resources, from group classes to preventive screening, to reduce the risk of musculoskeletal pain and injury.
—Bryan T. Kelly, Fortune, 29 Apr. 2026
Noun
Finding and treating the stomach infection Helicobacter pylori can also be considered as a preventive for people who are about to start a course on NSAIDs.
—Dr. Keith Roach, oregonlive, 26 Jan. 2023
In the end, however, experts say there is only one true preventive — or cure — for a hangover: Don’t drink.
—Sandee Lamotte, CNN, 30 Dec. 2022
See All Example Sentences for preventive
Recent Examples of Synonyms for preventive
Adjective
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The book, the first in a series, is an extension of MindUP, Hawn's preventative mental health program that's been utilized in schools for 20-plus years to teach kids about the human brain and how to regulate emotions.—
Eric Andersson,
PEOPLE,
28 Apr. 2026
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While aiming to ensure that the brand is growing with the right franchisees, Castle Rock Hormone Health is continuing to build its presence at the intersection of personalized medicine, preventative care, and scalable healthcare delivery.—
Lyssanoel Frater,
USA Today,
28 Apr. 2026
Noun
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Authorities also ordered evacuations in the immediate area as a precaution.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
1 May 2026
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That means that for something like a state visit involving the President of the US and King Charles, extra precautions had to be taken.—
Lizzie Lanuza,
StyleCaster,
1 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Preventive.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/preventive. Accessed 6 May. 2026.
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