as in preventive
concerned with or serving to keep something from happening
the many prophylactic measures that city officials could have taken to reduce the scope of the disaster
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Recent Examples of prophylactic
These include prophylactic vaccines, which prevent cancer, and therapeutic ones, which protect women who have already had breast cancer from getting it again.
—
Helen Carefoot, Flow Space, 1 Oct. 2025
Two injections of lenacapavir every six months offer near-perfect protection; older prophylactic treatments require daily pills, a challenge in countries with weak health systems.
—Preeti Jha, semafor.com, 24 Sep. 2025
The report notes, though, that only women with a high risk of preeclampsia should use prophylactic low aspirin to prevent early pregancy loss, fetal growth restriction, stillbirth or early delivery.
—Max Rego, The Hill, 23 Sep. 2025
Most people with moderate to severe hemophilia B depend on weekly life-long prophylactic infusions of factor IX, which temporarily replaces or supplements low levels of the blood-clotting factor.
—Beth Warren, The Tennessean, 21 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for prophylactic
Helen Carefoot, Flow Space, 1 Oct. 2025
Two injections of lenacapavir every six months offer near-perfect protection; older prophylactic treatments require daily pills, a challenge in countries with weak health systems.
—Preeti Jha, semafor.com, 24 Sep. 2025
The report notes, though, that only women with a high risk of preeclampsia should use prophylactic low aspirin to prevent early pregancy loss, fetal growth restriction, stillbirth or early delivery.
—Max Rego, The Hill, 23 Sep. 2025
Most people with moderate to severe hemophilia B depend on weekly life-long prophylactic infusions of factor IX, which temporarily replaces or supplements low levels of the blood-clotting factor.
—Beth Warren, The Tennessean, 21 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for prophylactic
Recent Examples of Synonyms for prophylactic
Adjective
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Offering screenings, preventive care, and consistent follow-up support.—
DIAMOND VENCES,
Charlotte Observer,
20 Mar. 2026
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Federally qualified health centers (FQHCs) exist to ensure health access by providing primary and preventive care regardless of ability to pay.—
Courtney McFarland,
STAT,
17 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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However, college basketball has never featured a greater disparity between the haves and the have-nots, largely due to the transfer portal, which allows powerhouses like Florida to snatch mid-major stars with such swiftness that the sport has yet to take preventative action.—
Noah White,
Miami Herald,
21 Mar. 2026
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Princess Kate revealed in March 2024 that she had been diagnosed with cancer and would undergo a course of preventative chemotherapy after having abdominal surgery.—
Sara Moniuszko,
USA Today,
17 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Prophylactic.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/prophylactic. Accessed 25 Mar. 2026.
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