as in cautious
having or showing awareness of and preparation for the future
proactive decision by the city fathers to plan for the eventual withering away of the region's manufacturing base
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Recent Examples of proactive
Saturn enters Aries today, asking you to be proactive about cutting cords to the past.
—
Usa Today, USA Today, 13 Feb. 2026
City leadership must be proactive, not reactive, and make thoughtful decisions that protect both residents and essential services.
—Andrea Keiser, Sun Sentinel, 13 Feb. 2026
Other clubs might have been more proactive in platooning Castellanos or removing him for defense well before the Phillies attempted it.
—Matt Gelb, New York Times, 12 Feb. 2026
The attorney also drew comparisons between the social media companies and tobacco firms, citing internal communication between Meta employees who were concerned about the company’s lack of proactive action about the potential harm their platforms can have on children and teens.
—Kaitlyn Huamani, Fortune, 11 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for proactive
Usa Today, USA Today, 13 Feb. 2026
City leadership must be proactive, not reactive, and make thoughtful decisions that protect both residents and essential services.
—Andrea Keiser, Sun Sentinel, 13 Feb. 2026
Other clubs might have been more proactive in platooning Castellanos or removing him for defense well before the Phillies attempted it.
—Matt Gelb, New York Times, 12 Feb. 2026
The attorney also drew comparisons between the social media companies and tobacco firms, citing internal communication between Meta employees who were concerned about the company’s lack of proactive action about the potential harm their platforms can have on children and teens.
—Kaitlyn Huamani, Fortune, 11 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for proactive
Recent Examples of Synonyms for proactive
Adjective
-
Be cautious about taking on new debt that assumes your current income is guaranteed.—
Matt Shumer,
Fortune,
11 Feb. 2026
-
Connecticut education leaders are expressing cautious optimism as the state Department of Education tries its hand at course development.—
Theo Peck-Suzuki,
Hartford Courant,
11 Feb. 2026
Adjective
-
Be careful when handling debris that may have blown into your yard.—
CA Weather Bot,
Sacbee.com,
14 Feb. 2026
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As with any sauce, be careful not to over-reduce.—
Tara Massouleh McCay,
Southern Living,
14 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Proactive.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/proactive. Accessed 17 Feb. 2026.
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