pre·ven·tive
pri-ˈven-tiv 
: devoted to or concerned with prevention : precautionary
preventive steps against soil erosion
: such as
a
: designed or serving to prevent the occurrence of disease
preventive medical care
b
: undertaken to forestall anticipated hostile action
a preventive coup
preventively
adverb
preventiveness
noun
Synonyms
Examples of preventive in a Sentence
Adjective
Farmers are covering their crops as a preventive measure against frost.
We'll take whatever preventive action is necessary.
Noun
if people took the simple preventive of frequently washing their hands, the spread of germs could be greatly reduced
Recent Examples on the Web
Rong-Gong Lin Ii, Los Angeles Times, 22 Nov. 2024
Power was shut down Sunday night in Greenwood Lake Village, east of Warwick, as a preventive measure, and the American Red Cross set up a shelter.
—Patrick Smith, NBC News, 12 Nov. 2024
David J. Waters, Scientific American, 1 Sep. 2015
Padlocks, sickles and other objects made of iron, a metal said to possess anti-demonic powers, were stashed in the grave as preventives.
—Franz Lidz, New York Times, 5 Sep. 2023
See all Example Sentences for preventive 
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Adjective
In recent years, many common respiratory illnesses saw large declines in transmission — in part because of the preventive measures put in place to combat the coronavirus.
—Rong-Gong Lin Ii, Los Angeles Times, 22 Nov. 2024
Power was shut down Sunday night in Greenwood Lake Village, east of Warwick, as a preventive measure, and the American Red Cross set up a shelter.
—Patrick Smith, NBC News, 12 Nov. 2024
Noun
Indeed, failure to do so proved disastrous for some early human trials of preventives.
—David J. Waters, Scientific American, 1 Sep. 2015
Padlocks, sickles and other objects made of iron, a metal said to possess anti-demonic powers, were stashed in the grave as preventives.
—Franz Lidz, New York Times, 5 Sep. 2023
See all Example Sentences for preventive
Articles Related to preventive
Dictionary Entries Near preventive
Cite this Entry
“Preventive.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/preventive. Accessed 28 Nov. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
preventive
1 of 2 noun
pre·ven·tive
pri-ˈvent-iv
: something that prevents
especially
: something used to prevent disease
preventive
2 of 2 adjective
: concerned with or used for prevention
preventive measures
preventive medicine
Medical Definition
preventive
2 of 2 adjective
: devoted to or concerned with the prevention of disease
preventive drug therapy
preventive psychiatry
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