Synonyms of prevents

prevents

verb

present tense third-person singular of prevent

as in averts

to keep from happening by taking action in advance

a lot of problems would have been prevented if we'd just prepared better

Synonyms & Similar Words

• averts
• precludes
• avoids
• forestalls
• obviates
• helps
• provides
• escapes
• deters
• anticipates
• hinders
• impedes
• heads off
• neutralizes
• prohibits
• nullifies
• saves
• thwarts
• forbids
• staves off
• evades
• negates
• hampers
• deflects
• inhibits
• retards
• frustrates
• shakes
• counteracts
• eludes
• stops
• shuns
• interferes (with)
• blocks
• balks
• circumvents
• eschews
• foils
• baffles
• counterbalances
• offsets
• halts
• stalls
• compensates (for)
• dodges
• fends (off)
• makes up (for)
• bars
• shirks
• checks
• wards (off)
• arrests
• checkmates
• ducks

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• assists
• aids
• facilitates
• abets
• eases
• promotes
• encourages
• smooths
• furthers
• fosters
• advances
• allows
• permits
• nurtures
• cultivates
• leaves
• lets
• forwards
• unclogs

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of prevents

Medical examiners typically cremate remains after a certain period of time if they are not claimed, which prevents family members from making an identification at a later time, Hess said. — Emma Tucker, CNN Money, 24 Aug. 2026

Balance helps improve athletic performance — at any age — and prevents muscle imbalances that can lead to injuries, even in non-athletes. — Deborah Vankin, Los Angeles Times, 24 Aug. 2026

Turning Save Media off prevents future media from being saved to that history. — Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 24 Aug. 2026

This medication — different from Paxlovid, an antiviral medication used to lessen COVID-19 symptoms — prevents people from contracting the illness after exposure. — Charlotte Observer, 24 Aug. 2026

Keeping Pluto a dwarf planet better defines what a planet is and prevents an awkward situation in the future in which schoolchildren (and the rest of us) would have to remember upwards of 100 planets. — Robert Lea, Space.com, 24 Aug. 2026

The catalyst uses an atomic-scale structure that prevents nickel from dissolving during operation, a process that can cause conventional catalysts to degrade over time. — Bojan Stojkovski, Interesting Engineering, 22 Aug. 2026

That pertness should be unbearable, but the scene is written in a minor key and performed by both actors to match, favouring eye contact and murmurs; the sheer brevity prevents it from becoming gloopy or crass. — Caspar Salmon, Variety, 21 Aug. 2026

The build plate is completely flat, which prevents resin from dripping back down into the resin tray. — Michael Lydick, PC Magazine, 21 Aug. 2026