as in preventative
concerned with or serving to keep something from happening
if you start taking this preventive medicine now, you may not get sick after all
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in precaution
a measure taken to preclude loss or injury
if people took the simple preventive of frequently washing their hands, the spread of germs could be greatly reduced
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
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.
Recent Examples of preventive
Alice Park, Time, 21 July 2025
People who live in areas where plague has been found should take preventive measures, and clinicians should ask about travel history to these areas.
—Katia Hetter, CNN Money, 18 July 2025
Katherine J. Wu, The Atlantic, 21 July 2022
When given as a preventive, it is meant as a two-dose vaccine given four weeks apart, which research suggests can reduce the risk of infection by about 85%.
—Benjamin Ryan, NBC News, 14 July 2022
See All Example Sentences for preventive
Adjective
In 2019, Walton founded the Heartland Whole Health Institute, located steps from the new medical school, which focuses on research, health advocacy, and education about the policies and financial systems necessary to advance preventive care.
—Alice Park, Time, 21 July 2025
People who live in areas where plague has been found should take preventive measures, and clinicians should ask about travel history to these areas.
—Katia Hetter, CNN Money, 18 July 2025
Noun
And yet little is being done in response to the danger, let alone as a preventive to keep the situation from going further off the rails.
—Katherine J. Wu, The Atlantic, 21 July 2022
When given as a preventive, it is meant as a two-dose vaccine given four weeks apart, which research suggests can reduce the risk of infection by about 85%.
—Benjamin Ryan, NBC News, 14 July 2022
See All Example Sentences for preventive
Recent Examples of Synonyms for preventive
precaution
Noun
-
The National Weather Service reminds people to take extra precautions during elevated temperatures.—
Ruby Grisin,
The Courier-Journal,
26 July 2025
-
For all residents, staying indoors and keeping windows closed remained a key precaution while smoke persists in the area.—
Anna Skinner,
MSNBC Newsweek,
25 July 2025
Cite this Entry
“Preventive.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/preventive. Accessed 4 Aug. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share