proactive

American  

[proh-ak-tiv] / proʊˈæk tɪv /

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.

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proactive British  

/ 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

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Usage

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.

Other Word Forms

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

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Etymology

Origin of proactive

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

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Explanation

The adjective proactive can describe a person who gets things done. If you are proactive, you make things happen, instead of waiting for them to happen to you. Active means "doing something." The prefix pro- means "before." So if you are proactive, you are ready before something happens. The opposite is being reactive, or waiting for things to unfold before responding. Think about winter cold season. A proactive person washes his hands and takes vitamins; a reactive person gets sick and takes cold medicine.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

proactive

Other analysts are skeptical that asset managers as a whole have been that proactive.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 8, 2026

Banks can then deploy tailored retention tactics such as personalized offers or proactive notifications.

From MarketWatch ● Oct. 8, 2026

"We must take action -- indeed, be proactive -- and seal the lakebed," he said.

From Barron's ● Oct. 4, 2026

She’d do so in part by advocating for expanded financial aid and proactive check-ins with students.

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 1, 2026

She was candid with me about how she’d misjudged the country’s readiness to have a proactive professional woman in the role of First Lady.

From "Becoming" by Michelle Obama

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