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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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 proactive
That proactive mindset is reflected in the numbers.
—
Matt Pyzdrowski, New York Times, 8 Apr. 2026
Congress should reauthorize and modernize the Work Opportunity Tax Credit by strengthening accountability, rewarding veteran retention, incentivizing proactive recruitment, and expanding eligibility to military spouses.
—Brooke Creek, Boston Herald, 7 Apr. 2026
The city of Fort Worth is taking proactive measures to stop people from popping off and injuring their neighbors with stray bullets.
—Harrison Mantas, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 7 Apr. 2026
But Nora is a free spirit who enjoys her liberation; of course, problems arise when the three men meet and decide to be more proactive about the situation.
—Kevin Jacobsen, Entertainment Weekly, 5 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for proactive
Matt Pyzdrowski, New York Times, 8 Apr. 2026
Congress should reauthorize and modernize the Work Opportunity Tax Credit by strengthening accountability, rewarding veteran retention, incentivizing proactive recruitment, and expanding eligibility to military spouses.
—Brooke Creek, Boston Herald, 7 Apr. 2026
The city of Fort Worth is taking proactive measures to stop people from popping off and injuring their neighbors with stray bullets.
—Harrison Mantas, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 7 Apr. 2026
But Nora is a free spirit who enjoys her liberation; of course, problems arise when the three men meet and decide to be more proactive about the situation.
—Kevin Jacobsen, Entertainment Weekly, 5 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for proactive
Recent Examples of Synonyms for proactive
Adjective
-
Ebus added that interest in Venezuela is already dividing potential investors, with smaller risk-taking firms eager to enter while major companies remain cautious.—
Antonio María Delgado,
Miami Herald,
9 Apr. 2026
-
Avoid sudden braking or acceleration, and be especially cautious on hills or when making turns.—
CA Weather Bot,
Sacbee.com,
9 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
This requires careful monitoring of key parameters such as sugar and acidity from veraison through to harvest.—
Maureen Mackey , Kelly McGreal,
FOXNews.com,
11 Apr. 2026
-
Somewhere within him is the spirit of the patriotic teenager and the careful lower-court judge who rejected any notion of party loyalty or judicial agenda.—
Peter S. Canellos,
The Atlantic,
10 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Proactive.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/proactive. Accessed 14 Apr. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
