Synonyms

prevent

American

[pri-vent] / prɪˈvɛnt /

verb (used with object)

to keep from occurring; avert; hinder.

He intervened to prevent bloodshed.

Synonyms:

thwart, obviate, preclude, forestall, obstruct

Antonyms:

assist, help
to hinder or stop from doing something.

There is nothing to prevent us from going.
Archaic. to act ahead of; forestall.
Archaic. to precede.
Archaic. to anticipate.

verb (used without object)

to interpose a hindrance.

He will come if nothing prevents.

prevent British

/ prɪˈvɛnt /

verb

(tr) to keep from happening, esp by taking precautionary action
to keep (someone from doing something); hinder; impede
(intr) to interpose or act as a hindrance
archaic (tr) to anticipate or precede

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Synonym Usage

Prevent, hamper, hinder, impede refer to different degrees of stoppage of action or progress. To prevent is to stop something effectually by forestalling action and rendering it impossible: to prevent the sending of a message. To hamper is to clog or entangle or put an embarrassing restraint upon: to hamper preparations for a trip. To hinder is to keep back by delaying or stopping progress or action: to hinder the progress of an expedition. To impede is to make difficult the movement or progress of anything by interfering with its proper functioning: to impede a discussion by demanding repeated explanations.

Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

Inflected Forms

Participles

Conjugated Forms

Present

Past

Future

Etymology

Origin of prevent

First recorded in 1375–1425; late Middle English, from Latin praeventus “anticipated,” past participle of praevenīre “to anticipate,” equivalent to prae- pre- ( def. ) + venīre “to come”

Explanation

The verb prevent means "to keep something from happening," like when you use a complicated password to prevent hackers from accessing your account. Prevent comes from the Latin word praeventus, meaning "to act in anticipation of," like when you shovel the icy, snow-covered sidewalk to prevent people from falling. Prevent can also mean "to make impossible," like when a school locks the doors during a dance to prevent kids from leaving without their parents knowing.

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Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

See Examples For:

prevent prevents prevented preventing

“Not only to secure justice for Anthony, but to force these companies to take their duty to prevent life-changing injuries seriously.”

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 6, 2026

"Timely intervention and salvaging the oil tanker is of essence to prevent worse," Zwijnenburg said.

From Barron's ● Aug. 6, 2026

The department said the government was also "cracking down on nuisance passengers" with the Bus Services Act, passed in October, which empowers local authorities to create by-laws to prevent nuisance passengers.

From BBC ● Aug. 5, 2026

Meanwhile the empire’s Italian allies still had the upper hand at sea—even at the height of the siege the Ottomans could not prevent ships from leaving or arriving.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 5, 2026

They use a variety of methods, often simultaneously: protection of habitat, replanting of habitat, stricter laws to prevent poaching, community awareness—and reintroducing animals back into the wild.

From "Camp Panda" by Catherine Thimmesh

It also prevents sides from manipulating the cap.

From BBC ● Aug. 4, 2026

This prevents migrants lacking legal status from automatically traveling on to Europe and their asylum claims are assessed in Ceuta itself.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 31, 2026

The method also prevents carbon from escaping into the atmosphere as carbon dioxide.

From Science Daily ● Jul. 31, 2026

Google's statement said the company prevents "image creation on harmful topics" and its AI policy instructs users against "misinformation, misrepresentation or misleading activities."

From Barron's ● Jul. 31, 2026

Imprisonment, they say, now creates far more crime than it prevents, by ripping apart fragile social networks, destroying families, and creating a permanent class of unemployables.

From "The New Jim Crow" by Michelle Alexander

Suraci said it isn't yet feasible to work backwards and estimate how many deaths, injuries and economic damage the mountain lions have prevented.

From Barron's ● Aug. 5, 2026

While the deal would exclude charging ships tolls or fees, Iran might not be prevented from collecting voluntary payments to cover costs like security and search and rescue, the people said.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 5, 2026

Billions in threatened cuts to transportation, emergency preparedness, education and family assistance funding were also prevented, Bonta said.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 4, 2026

The label would have prevented him from taking part in the elections.

From BBC ● Aug. 3, 2026

The beast that had prevented Roza from escaping the yard of that horrible suburban house was the largest, ugliest, most miserable dog that Roza had ever seen.

From "Bone Gap" by Laura Ruby

Police said an off-duty law enforcement officer and a second person fired back at the gunman, potentially preventing more violence.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 4, 2026

It is not just the mosquito experts who have a role to play in preventing mosquito-borne disease outbreaks as the climate warms and the insects spread across more of the U.S.

From Slate ● Aug. 4, 2026

The agencies said hackers changed passwords and network settings on affected systems, preventing operators from monitoring or controlling equipment in some cases.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 3, 2026

Her round still contained three bogeys and her last birdie came on 13, preventing a further climb up the leaderboard.

From BBC ● Jul. 31, 2026

The second empousa held his arm, preventing him from using Riptide.

From "The House of Hades" by Rick Riordan

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023