as in prophylactic
concerned with or serving to keep something from happening
the department in charge of taking preventative measures against international terrorism
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in preventive
Related Words
Dissimilar 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 preventative
Jennifer Lotito, Forbes.com, 5 June 2025
Make sure any family pets, especially cats, are current on vaccinations and parasite preventatives.
—Jen Reeder, Forbes.com, 30 Apr. 2025
Now, the best preventative is to plant disease resistant selections, such as Freedom, Liberty, Priscilla and Redfree.
—Steve Bender, Southern Living, 12 Apr. 2025
By incorporating this approach, healthcare can shift from reactive to preventative.
—Karlo Tanjuakio, Forbes, 24 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for preventative
Adjective
Now, experts say what’s needed to get the fight back on track—and eventually end the threat for good—isn’t just better diagnostics and therapeutics, but long acting preventatives.
—Jennifer Lotito, Forbes.com, 5 June 2025
Make sure any family pets, especially cats, are current on vaccinations and parasite preventatives.
—Jen Reeder, Forbes.com, 30 Apr. 2025
Now, the best preventative is to plant disease resistant selections, such as Freedom, Liberty, Priscilla and Redfree.
—Steve Bender, Southern Living, 12 Apr. 2025
By incorporating this approach, healthcare can shift from reactive to preventative.
—Karlo Tanjuakio, Forbes, 24 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for preventative
Recent Examples of Synonyms for preventative
Adjective
-
Those preventive measures include trimming overgrown yards and clearing out food that rats can easily access, Campbell said, gesturing at several green apples that had fallen from a nearby tree and were starting to rot.—
William Tong,
Chicago Tribune,
12 July 2025
-
The 2012 law required insurers to provide at no cost the preventive services that were approved as highly effective.—
David G. Savage
Follow,
Los Angeles Times,
11 July 2025
Noun
-
In her research into the Florida insurance market, Sen has tracked the withdrawal of major insurance providers from the state and their replacement by smaller firms that have proved vulnerable to insolvency.—
Peter Aldous,
Miami Herald,
20 July 2025
-
Children's National and other hospitals like it around the nation face pressure to limit or end such care or risk jeopardizing federal payments, including public insurance reimbursements to providers of all kinds of medical care, potentially costing them billions and forcing them to close.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
19 July 2025
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
“Preventative.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/preventative. Accessed 30 Jul. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share