What does "preventive" mean?
A thing that prevents, hinders, or acts as an obstacle to.
Preventive
/pɹɪˈvɛntɪv/ adj, noun
adj, noun ·Common ·High school level
Meaning at a glance
- Primary sense: A thing that prevents, hinders, or acts as an obstacle to.
- Grammar: preventive is listed as adj, noun.
- Nearest alternatives: prophylactic, prophylactic, aegis, antacid.
- Useful contrasts: corrective action plan, curative, curative measure.
- Usage evidence: Out of the four policies that were suggested, I think the most effective one would be the "Improvement of Preventive Care and Health Promotion" policy.
How to use "preventive"
- Start with the primary definition, then check the part of speech before placing the word in a sentence.
- Compare nearby synonyms to make sure "preventive" carries the exact meaning, tone, and strength you need.
- Use the example sentence as a context check. If your sentence uses the word differently, confirm that the grammar still fits.
Meaning check
- Does the word fit the sentence's grammar?
- Does it match the intended tone rather than only the dictionary definition?
- Would a simpler synonym be clearer for the reader?
- Is there enough surrounding context to prevent ambiguity?
Source and review context
This entry combines structured lexical data with WordToolSet review checks. Definitions, examples, synonyms, and usage notes may come from different source tables, so the page is designed to show evidence from more than one angle before you rely on "preventive" in a final draft.
If a word has several senses, prefer the sense that matches your sentence's grammar and surrounding context. A correct definition can still be the wrong choice when the sentence needs a different register, emphasis, or level of specificity.
Before you rely on this definition
Read the first definition as a starting point, then check the example, synonyms, and part of speech before treating "preventive" as the right word for your sentence.
If your draft is formal, technical, persuasive, or sensitive, compare "preventive" with a nearby alternative so the final choice matches both meaning and reader expectation.
Compare nearby meanings
- Use synonyms when you need a softer, stronger, simpler, or more specific word.
- Use antonyms to check the boundary of the meaning and avoid accidental contrast.
- Use the example sentence to confirm the word behaves naturally in context.
- Keep the original wording when a replacement adds complexity without improving precision.
Definition decision workflow
1. Identify the role
Check whether "preventive" is acting as adj, noun in your sentence. A definition is only useful when the grammar matches the way the word is being used.
2. Test the nearest option
Compare it with "prophylactic" and other nearby choices to see whether the sentence needs a softer, stronger, or more familiar word.
3. Confirm with context
Use the example sentence below as an evidence check, then read your own sentence out loud to catch tone or rhythm problems.
Review note: Definition pages are checked for source coverage, sentence evidence, synonym support, and editorial insight before they are treated as approval-ready pages. If the evidence is too thin, the page remains available to users but is kept out of the approval-facing indexed inventory.
Final meaning check
Before publishing a sentence with "preventive", ask whether the word helps the reader understand the idea faster. A precise word should reduce confusion, not simply make the sentence look more polished.
When the definition, synonym evidence, and example context point in the same direction, the word is usually a safer choice. When they conflict, revise the sentence or choose a clearer alternative.
Definitions
Noun
- 1 A thing that prevents, hinders, or acts as an obstacle to. dated
"Dogs should be warmly but airily housed; heartily, but not heatingly, fed — old Indian meal, mixed with oatmeal, suppawn, is the best general food, with a small quantity of salt, which is a preventive against worms […]"
- 2 an agent or device intended to prevent conception wordnet
- 3 A thing that slows the development of an illness. dated
"Eaten with sugar yaourt is very palatable and refreshing in warm weather and is said to be a preventive of fever."
- 4 any obstruction that impedes or is burdensome wordnet
- 5 A contraceptive, especially a condom.
Show 1 more definition
- 6 remedy that prevents or slows the course of an illness or disease wordnet
Adjective
- 1 Preventing, hindering, or acting as an obstacle to.
"...and I sometimes think whether, like the ancient king, it would not be prudent to make an offering to destiny, and throw my set of emeralds into the lake." Emily could not but deprecate the emeralds being destined to any such preventive service;..."
- 2 Carried out to deter military aggression.
- 3 Slowing the development of an illness; prophylactic.
"Physick is either curative or preventive."
- 4 Going before; preceding. obsolete
"Any previous counsel or preventive understanding."
Adjective
- 1 preventing or contributing to the prevention of disease wordnet
- 2 tending to prevent or hinder wordnet
Example
"Out of the four policies that were suggested, I think the most effective one would be the "Improvement of Preventive Care and Health Promotion" policy."
Common questions
What is a synonym for "preventive"?
Common synonyms include: prophylactic, prophylactic, aegis, antacid, anti, anticipating.
How do you use "preventive" in a sentence?
Out of the four policies that were suggested, I think the most effective one would be the "Improvement of Preventive Care and Health Promotion" policy.
How do you pronounce "preventive"?
Pronounced /pɹɪˈvɛntɪv/.
Etymology
Borrowed from New Latin praeventīvus. Equivalent to prevent + -ive.