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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Recent Examples of prevent
To prevent layoffs of younger staff members, San Diego Unified turned this year to the Supplemental Early Retirement Program, or SERP, which offers veteran employees incentive payments to retire early.
—
Ashley MacKin Solomon, San Diego Union-Tribune, 23 July 2025
Transparency rules have been introduced to prevent conflicts of interest among contractors and design professionals involved in inspections and repairs.
—Miami Herald Archives, Miami Herald, 23 July 2025
Sitting in a chair that supports movement, such as one with a self-adjusting recline mechanism, can help prevent this condition, according to Puleio.
—Angelica Stabile, FOXNews.com, 11 July 2025
How to prevent exposure to the plague To prevent exposure to plague, Coconino County officials have the following tips:
Avoid contact with wild animals.
—Stephanie Innes, AZCentral.com, 11 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for prevent
Ashley MacKin Solomon, San Diego Union-Tribune, 23 July 2025
Transparency rules have been introduced to prevent conflicts of interest among contractors and design professionals involved in inspections and repairs.
—Miami Herald Archives, Miami Herald, 23 July 2025
Sitting in a chair that supports movement, such as one with a self-adjusting recline mechanism, can help prevent this condition, according to Puleio.
—Angelica Stabile, FOXNews.com, 11 July 2025
How to prevent exposure to the plague To prevent exposure to plague, Coconino County officials have the following tips:
Avoid contact with wild animals.
—Stephanie Innes, AZCentral.com, 11 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for prevent
Recent Examples of Synonyms for prevent
Verb
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Carney posted a 114-word response on X late Thursday that appeared to avert further escalation of trade tensions while striking a firm posture in defense of Canada's economic interests.—
Max Zahn,
ABC News,
11 July 2025
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But with a tentative deal put in place by January, which averted a second strike, the union of 45,000 dockworkers got some reprieve on automation—at least enough to maintain a certain number of jobs.—
Glenn Taylor,
Sourcing Journal,
11 July 2025
Verb
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Los Angeles businessman Ray Watt donated some 600 acres south of Rancho Santa Fe to San Diego in exchange for development rights, which were precluded at the time under the city’s general plan.—
Jeff McDonald,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
19 July 2025
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But charter school advocates reject the notion that these homeschool programs constitute irresponsible taxpayer spending, saying that their charters have been a lifeline for students with disabilities, chronic illnesses or other vulnerabilities that preclude them from success at a public school.—
Jennah Pendleton,
Sacbee.com,
17 July 2025
Verb
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Close the blinds and curtains on sun-facing windows to block the sun's rays and avoid unwanted heat.—
Alexis Simmerman,
Austin American Statesman,
25 July 2025
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Independent Insight from non-family professionals to challenge assumptions and avoid groupthink.—
Paul Westall,
Forbes.com,
24 July 2025
Cite this Entry
“Prevent.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/prevent. Accessed 29 Jul. 2025.
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