chemoprevention

noun

che·​mo·​pre·​ven·​tion ˌkē-mō-pri-ˈven(t)-shən How to pronounce chemoprevention (audio)
: the use of chemical agents to prevent or slow the development of cancer
chemopreventive
ˌkē-mō-pri-ˈven-tiv How to pronounce chemoprevention (audio)
adjective

Examples of chemoprevention in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
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.
There are also other interventions — including bed nets and chemoprevention — that can help reduce the risk of malaria. — Andrew Joseph, STAT, 1 Aug. 2024 GiveWell cites a Cochrane Collaboration review of six randomized studies that found that malaria cases among young children fall by 73 percent due to seasonal chemoprevention campaigns. — Dylan Matthews, Vox, 3 Dec. 2024 Individuals at especially high risk may be offered prophylactic interventions such as mastectomy or chemoprevention drugs like tamoxifen. — Ashleen Knutsen, Discover Magazine, 11 Mar. 2019 The group has also worked to find a second manufacturer for SPAQ-CO, ensuring that enough doses will be available for next year’s seasonal chemoprevention campaign, too. — Popular Science, 7 Jan. 2021 In 2022, the WHO began recommending a malaria prevention strategy called perennial malaria chemoprevention for babies starting at 2 months. — Kwesi Akonu Adom Mensah Forson, The Conversation, 26 Jan. 2026

Word History

Etymology

chemo- + prevention

First Known Use

1976, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of chemoprevention was in 1976

Rhymes for chemoprevention

See All Rhymes for chemoprevention

Browse Nearby Words

chemoorganotrophic
chemoprevention
chemoprophylactic
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Chemoprevention.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/chemoprevention. Accessed 8 Jul. 2026.

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Medical Definition

chemoprevention

noun
che·​mo·​pre·​ven·​tion -pri-ˈven-chən How to pronounce chemoprevention (audio)
: the use of chemical agents to prevent the development of cancer
chemopreventive
-ˈven-tiv How to pronounce chemoprevention (audio)
adjective

More from Merriam-Webster on chemoprevention

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about chemoprevention

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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