preparedness
Americannoun
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the state of being prepared; readiness.
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possession of adequate armed forces, industrial resources and potential, etc., especially as a deterrent to enemy attack.
noun
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of preparedness
Explanation
Preparedness is a condition of being completely ready for something, especially some kind of disaster. Your family's preparedness for an approaching hurricane might include an evacuation plan. The noun preparedness has been around since the 16th century, originally simply meaning "a state of being prepared." That definition is still used today, but it's more common when talking about something potentially devastating, like a war or a natural disaster. If you live on an earthquake fault line, your town's preparedness may consist of emergency shelters and reinforced buildings. A country's military preparedness is its readiness to fight a war or defend itself.
Vocabulary lists containing preparedness
Haiti Earthquake One-Year Report
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Unit 8, Week 3
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The Suffix -ness, Part 3
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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.
The preparedness effort has moved beyond a future ambition.
From Science Daily ● Sep. 10, 2026
National climate assessments are important because their projections can inform federal infrastructure planning, risk assessments, regulations, disaster preparedness and cost-benefit analyses, including from hazards such as wildfires, floods, drought and sea-level rise.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 10, 2026
Despite arriving later than expected, the sheer size of the package marks a significant investment in military preparedness.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 8, 2026
These will form a strategy to be unveiled by the end of 2026 aimed at bringing the UK closer into line with European countries in terms of emergency preparedness.
From BBC ● Sep. 4, 2026
“There is nothing to do but confess my lack of preparedness to Miss Mortimer,” she thought.
From "The Interrupted Tale" by Maryrose Wood
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
