adj
preventive
prih-VEHN-tihv
adj
1
Intended to stop a problem, illness, or danger before it occurs.
"Doctors recommend preventive care like regular checkups and vaccinations."
"The company took preventive measures to avoid another data breach."
How to Use Preventive
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishSomething done ahead of time to stop a bad outcome from happening at all.
Common mistake
Often used interchangeably with "preventative" — both are correct, but "preventive" is shorter and more common in formal writing.
Easily confused with
preventative
Common pairings
preventive medicine
preventive measures
Word Forms
more preventive comparative, preventives plural, most preventive superlative
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Doctors recommend _____ care like regular checkups and vaccinations.
Etymology
From New Latin praeventivus, from prevent + -ive.