as in to avert
to keep from happening by taking action in advance
a lot of problems would have been prevented if we'd just prepared better
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of prevent
One myth is that using lemon-lime soda such as Sprite keeps flowers fresh because the citric acid prevents the sugar from feeding bacteria.
—
Peg Aloi, The Spruce, 11 Feb. 2026
An organization working to prevent HIV infections is among the Colorado recipients that will lose federal funding after the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention abruptly canceled grants to four states led by Democratic governors.
—Meg Wingerter, Denver Post, 11 Feb. 2026
Early life as a theater kid Van Der Beek, who was raised in Cheshire, Connecticut, started acting at 13 after suffering a concussion playing football that prevented him from playing for a year on doctor’s orders.
—Dallas Morning News, 11 Feb. 2026
Law-abiding residents with legal status should not be unfairly targeted, and safeguards must be in place to prevent collateral harm.
—Charlotte Observer, 11 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for prevent
Peg Aloi, The Spruce, 11 Feb. 2026
An organization working to prevent HIV infections is among the Colorado recipients that will lose federal funding after the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention abruptly canceled grants to four states led by Democratic governors.
—Meg Wingerter, Denver Post, 11 Feb. 2026
Early life as a theater kid Van Der Beek, who was raised in Cheshire, Connecticut, started acting at 13 after suffering a concussion playing football that prevented him from playing for a year on doctor’s orders.
—Dallas Morning News, 11 Feb. 2026
Law-abiding residents with legal status should not be unfairly targeted, and safeguards must be in place to prevent collateral harm.
—Charlotte Observer, 11 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for prevent
Recent Examples of Synonyms for prevent
Verb
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Continue reading … POLITICS ON THE BRINK — Senate races to avert third shutdown as DHS deal takes shape.—
,
FOXNews.com,
10 Feb. 2026
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In Connecticut and across New England, where talk of electricity tends to turn on highest-in-the-nation rates, the potential cold weather energy emergency faced by customers elsewhere was averted, but that success comes with a warning.—
Edmund H. Mahony,
Hartford Courant,
8 Feb. 2026
Verb
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The Wolves were rumored to be pursuing Giannis Antetokounmpo of the Milwaukee Bucks, but the Dosunmu deal likely precludes a deal for the former two-time MVP.—
Anthony Bettin,
CBS News,
5 Feb. 2026
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While a handful of hospitals reinstated the care after a short pause, that hasn’t precluded some from suspending it again under further federal pressure, as Children’s Hospital Colorado did last month.—
Theresa Gaffney,
STAT,
5 Feb. 2026
Verb
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In Texas, wind, solar and storage provided about 25% of power for the grid's 27 million customers -- a major increase over 2021 and a key reason blackouts were largely avoided, said John Hensley, a senior vice president at the American Clean Power Association, an industry group.—
MATTHEW DALY,
Arkansas Online,
8 Feb. 2026
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Healey avoided answering the question, instead stating that Massachusetts officials tipped off the feds to the $7 million SNAP fraud scheme uncovered by Foley’s office in December.—
Tim Dunn,
Boston Herald,
7 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Prevent.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/prevent. Accessed 14 Feb. 2026.
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