proactive

[proh-ak-tiv]

adjective

1. serving to prepare for, intervene in, or control an expected occurrence or situation, especially a negative or challenging one; anticipatory.

   The new guidelines will help industry employers develop proactive measures to keep their workplaces safe.

proactive

/ prəʊˈæktɪv /

adjective

1. tending to initiate change rather than reacting to events

2. psychol of or denoting a mental process that affects a subsequent process

Other Word Forms

• proactive noun
• proactivity noun
• proactiveness noun
• proactively adverb

Word History and Origins

Origin of proactive¹

First recorded in 1930–35; pro- ¹ + active

Word History and Origins

Origin of proactive¹

C20: from _pro- ² + ( _re ) _active

Example Sentences

Aston Martin said while "positive dialogue" had been achieved with the US government directly, the firm was still seeking proactive support from the UK.

From BBC

A West Yorkshire Police spokesperson said that since the early 2010s, the force had "significantly invested in and improved" its safeguarding capability and taken a "proactive and meticulous approach to exploring previous incidents".

From BBC

As part of this we dedicated a further 200 officers to proactively uncovering and dealing with wrongdoing.

From BBC

Labour Together said the group had "proactively raised concerns about its own reporting of donations to the Electoral Commission in 2020".

From BBC

Take, as another example, the new teen safety standards introduced on Facebook and Instagram that Meta has tried framing as bold and proactive.

From Salon

When To Use

What does proactive mean?

Proactive is the opposite of reactive. Actions that are proactive are initiated not in reaction to a situation but instead out of a desire to make a positive change, prepare for a situation, or prevent something from happening.Proactive is commonly used to describe people who take such actions. It’s also commonly used in the phrase proactive measures, meaning proactive actions, especially those done to prevent a negative situation.Example: Henry credits most of his success to being proactive instead of waiting for opportunities to come to him.